ABSTRACT
This chapter explores party law in Latvia in its broader sense – a body of legislation that directly affects political parties including laws that regulate establishing and maintaining a party, political funding, and campaigning for office. What set Latvia apart from a great many countries in Eastern Europe are the constitution-making process and its results. The chapter discusses a functional yet slightly more detailed classification of areas of party law was developed: party definition and registration, party routine activities, party election activity, regulations pertaining to party parliamentary groups, party and campaign finance, disclosure and oversight and cessation of party. In 1991, Latvia restored its 1922 constitution that, in line with the tradition of its epoch, made no mention of political parties. Subsequent expansion and update of the basic law made only a passing reference to political parties in the context of freedom of association.
