1978 Constitution of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic


The 1978 Constitution of the Latvian SSR, officially the Constitution of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic ; Russian: Конституция Латвийской Советской Социалистической Республики, Konstitutsiya was the communist state constitution of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted on April 18, 1978 at the eighth session of the 9th Convocation of the Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR.

History

The 1978 Constitution of the Latvian SSR superseded the 1940 Constitution and was modeled after the 1977 Constitution of the Soviet Union, informally known as the Brezhnev Constitution. It was officially ratified and adopted on April 18, 1978. The 1978 Constitution ceased to be effective on August 21, 1991 when Latvia restored its independence. The 1978 Constitution of the Latvian SSR was replaced by the reintroduced Constitution of the Republic of Latvia on July 6, 1993.
Significant amendments to the constitution were introduced in May 1989 which designated Latvian as the state language. The constitution was further amended in July 1989. In 1990, the articles regarding the leading role of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union were abolished and the state symbols were changed.

Structure

The constitution consisted of ten sections, nineteen chapters, and 173 articles.I. Fundamentals of the social system and policies of the Latvian SSR
  • * Chapter 1. The political system
  • * Chapter 2. The economic system
  • * Chapter 3. Social development and culture
  • * Chapter 4. Foreign policy and the defense of the Socialist Fatherland II. State and people
  • * Chapter 5. Citizenship of the Latvian SSR
  • * Chapter 6. Basic rights, freedoms, and duties of citizens III. National-state and administrative-territorial structure of the Latvian SSR
  • * Chapter 7. The Latvian SSR is a union republic of the USSR
  • * Chapter 8. Administrative-territorial structure of the Latvian SSR IV. Soviets of People's Deputies of the Latvian SSR '''and the procedure for their election
  • * Chapter 9. The system and principles of activity of the Soviets of People's Deputies
  • * Chapter 10. The electoral system
  • * Chapter 11. People's Deputy V. The supreme bodies of state power and administration of the Latvian SSR
  • * Chapter 12. The Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR
  • * Chapter 13. The Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR VI. Local government and administration bodies in the Latvian SSR
  • * Chapter 14. Local Soviets of People's Deputies
  • * Chapter 15. Executive Committees of Local Soviets of People's Deputies VII. The State Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Latvian SSR and the State Budget of the Latvian SSR
  • * Chapter 16. The State Plan for Economic and Social Development of the Latvian SSR
  • * Chapter 17. The state budget for the Latvian SSR VIII. Justice, Arbitration, and Prosecution
  • * Chapter 18. The court and arbitration
  • * Chapter 19. The prosecutor's office IX. Coat of arms, flag, anthem, and capital of the Latvian SSR X. Legal force of the Constitution of the Latvian SSR and the procedure for its amendment'''