On 10 June, the Latvian Parliament passed a municipal reform proposed by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development and leader of ALDE member Latvijas Attīstībai, Juris Pūce. The reform, entitled ‘Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas’ cuts down the number of Latvian municipalities from the current 119 to 42.

The municipal reform is a way to reduce existing inequalities between different municipalities in Latvia and improve their capacity and ability to provide comparable-quality services, an issue also referenced in the European Commission’s report about Latvia.  

Minister Pūce commented on the reform: “Implementing this municipal reform, prompted by the need to reduce the growing inequality in the economic development of Latvia’s regions and to provide a set of quality municipal services to their residents, has been one of the key ideas in our electoral programme. Promises made – promises kept! I am happy about what we have achieved.

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