The Saeima decided in the third and final reading to approve amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia , which stipulate that in future the election of the president will be by an open Saeima vote. Currently, this is the only secret vote in the Saeima and choosing a president is often a game of smoke and mirrors as a result - with the voting numbers not always corresponding with how Saeima deputies say they voted.
The vote was carried by 85 votes to 3 and came after a stormy and sometimes emotional debate with several deputies pointing out that the process seemed rushed and others saying the change was long overdue.
The amendments will come into force on January 1, 2019.
Valsts prezidentu turpmāk ievēlēs atklātā Saeimas balsojumā https://t.co/wyS5SNFCmJ
— Saeimas ziņas (@Jekaba11) October 4, 2018
