Cabinet of Ministers and State Administration
The Cabinet and its responsibility
The Cabinet of Ministers is the highest executive and administrative body. It consists of the Prime Minister and ministers. The President nominates the Prime Minister; the Saeima then votes confidence in the Cabinet. The Cabinet is politically responsible to the Saeima, which can question ministers, set up committees and adopt a no-confidence motion. Ministers head ministries and are responsible for their sector, but they act within law and Cabinet rules.
Administration and rule-making
State administration institutions implement laws and Cabinet regulations. The Cabinet may issue regulations (noteikumi) only where authorised by law; a regulation cannot contradict a law or the Constitution. Administrative decisions must have a legal basis and can be challenged before courts or higher administrative bodies. The Cabinet also prepares the draft budget and manages state property within the legal framework.
Worked example
A minister issues a personal order creating a new fee for a public service. The order is weak: a fee affecting the public requires a legal basis, normally a statute or a Cabinet regulation adopted under statutory authorisation. A minister cannot invent a charge by internal order. The reasoning links three checks: legality, competence and procedure. If the order exceeds the minister’s authority, it can be annulled; the Cabinet cannot cure an unlawful delegation by simply approving it.
Traps
Do not say the President appoints the Cabinet without Saeima confidence. Do not say the Cabinet is directly elected. Do not treat Cabinet regulations as equal to statutes; the Saeima is the legislator. Do not assume a minister can decide anything in the ministry without legal authority. Do not confuse political responsibility to the Saeima with criminal or civil liability, which follows separate rules.