On Saturday, 23 August 2008, the national referendum for the Draft Law "Amendment to the Law "On State Pensions" took place in Latvia. In the referendum voters had to answer the question: Do you support adopting the Draft Law "Amendment to the Law "On State Pensions""?. Possible answers were "For" and "Against".
On the referendum day polling stations were open from 7 AM till 10 PM and voters could vote in any polling station in Latvia or abroad.
Those voters who were unable to visit a polling station due to their health condition had an opportunity to apply for voting at their location ten days prior to the referendum day.
Voters who were abroad could also participate in the national referendum. Voters abroad could use the opportunity to apply for voting by mail or vote in any polling station abroad on the referendum day.
All together 347,182 voters participated in the referendum i.e. 38.2 % of the voters who have participated in the last Parliament elections. The referendum turnout was 22.90 %.
344,429 voters i.e. 96.44 % of them have voted in favour and 11,561 voters i.e. 3.33 % – against the amendment. 794 ballot papers i.e. 0.25 % were deemed invalid since they bore a “+” mark opposite both ‘For’ and ‘Against’ answers or didn’t bear any mark.
In order the Draft Law would be deemed adopted, at least 453,730 electors or one half of the electorate who have participated in the last Parliament elections should participate in the national referendum and a majority should vote in favor of the adoption of the Draft Law.
Though the Draft Law ‘Amendment to the Law ‘On State Pensions’’ have not been adopted in the referendum.
The national referendum was announced since the Parliament rejected, on 3 July, the Draft Law which was supported by one tenth of voters' signatures, and law "On National Referendums and Initiation of Legislation" provides that in this case a national referendum must be held not earlier than one month and not later than two months from rejection of draft law to the Parliament.
The Pensioners and Seniors' Party together with Association Society for Another Policy and Judicial State started the procedure of initiation of the Draft Law "Amendment to the Law "On State Pensions"’. The Draft Law which has been passed for a national referendum provides amending of Clause 34 of the Transitional Provisions of Law "On State Pension" establishing that the minimum amount of old-age pension by 31 December 2009 must not be lower than state social security allowance to which coefficients 3.0; 3.5; 4.0 or 4.5 are applied depending on insurance period.