The current law, endorsed by the outgoing 12th Saeima in its last meeting on November 1, includes an encompassing definition of the Latvian diaspora, saying that any person with ties to Latvia can be part of the diaspora.
Under the amendments proposed for review at a Saeima committee, this definition would be narrowed down to Latvian citizens, ethnic Latvians and Livs, as well as their ancestors and family members but not people who simply have ties to Latvia.
Just 22 MPs from the National Alliance and the Greens and Farmers Union voted to forward the amendments to committee review. Another 73 MPs voted against.