Latvia's leftist alliance For Human Rights in United Latvia (PCTVL) has called on Latvian residents to sign a petition that would grant voting rights to non-citizens in municipal elections, PCTVL co-chairwoman and member of the European Parliament Tatjana Zdanoka told the press on Thursday.
The petition states that "the situation in Latvia, where non-citizens do not have the rights to participate in municipal elections, ...violates the principles of democracy."
The signature-collection campaign will last until June 1, but could be extended if there is large enough interest. The petition will then be submitted to the Parliament's petition committee for assessment.
In late March PCTVL's proposed granting voting rights to all residents who have lived in Latvia for at least three years, but Parliament did not support the plan.
Latvia's First Party (LPP) leader Ainars Slesers in the party congress in January also proposed launching a discussion voting rights for non-citizens in municipal elections.
