Parliamentary approval

The Latvian Parliament das approved the EU-Constitution on June 2, 2005.

71 MP voted in favour and 5 against the ratification. 6 MP abstained. Thus, Latvia is the tenth state that ratified the EU Constitution.

According to the Latvian Constitution a referendum should take place if the conditions for Latvias membership in the EU 'change significantly '. But the Latvian President said that she sees no need to organise a referendum on the EU Constitution as it would not fundamentally change the content of the Accession Treaty, hence, Latvias membership conditions. The biggest oppositional party, the Peoples Party, however, says it will consider to push for a vote on the EU Constitution because it paves the way for the EU to become a federal state, said the partys leader Atis Slakteris.

Read more facts on the ratification.