Constitution

Latvia 1922 Constitution (reinstated 1991, reviewed 2016)

Chapter IV. The Cabinet

Article 55

The Cabinet shall be composed of the Prime Minister and the Ministers chosen by the Prime Minister.

Article 56

The Cabinet shall be formed by the person who has been invited by the President to do so.

Article 57

The number of ministries and the scope of their responsibilities, as well as the relations between State institutions, shall be as provided for by law.

Article 58

The administrative institutions of the State shall be under the authority of the Cabinet.

Article 59

In order to fulfil their duties, the Prime Minister and other Ministers must have the confidence of the Saeima and they shall be accountable to the Saeima for their actions. If the Saeima expresses no confidence in the Prime Minister, the entire Cabinet shall resign. If there is an expression of no confidence in an individual Minister, then the Minister shall resign and another person shall be invited to replace them by the Prime Minister.

Article 60

Meetings of the Cabinet shall be chaired by the Prime Minister, and in the absence of the Prime Minister, by a Minister authorised to do so by the Prime Minister.

Article 61

The Cabinet shall deliberate draft laws prepared by individual ministries as well as matters which pertain to the activities of more than one ministry, and issues of State policy raised by individual members of Cabinet.

Article 62

If the State is threatened by an external enemy, or if an internal insurrection which endangers the existing political system arises or threatens to arise in the State or in any part of the State, the Cabinet has the right to proclaim a state of emergency and shall inform the Presidium within twenty-four hours and the Presidium shall, without delay, present such decision of the Cabinet to the Saeima.

Article 63

Ministers, even if they are not members of the Saeima, and responsible government officials authorised by a Minister, have the right to attend sittings of the Saeima and its committees and to submit additions and amendments to draft laws.