RIGA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Latvian lawmakers on Thursday took the first step towards open voting in presidential elections as they endorsed draft amendments to the Baltic country's constitution that would change the presidential election rules, the parliamentary press service said.
The draft amendments were passed in the first reading by 82 votes to one and three abstentions.
Under the current legislation, the parliament elects the president of Latvia in a secret ballot. To win the election, the candidate has to secure the votes of at least 51 of Latvia's 100 parliamentarians.
The Latvian Association of Regions, a party sitting in opposition in Latvia's current parliament, proposed the constitutional amendments, arguing that open voting in presidential elections would ensure greater transparency in the parliament's work. Also, presidential elections now remain the only procedure of this kind requiring a secret ballot, as all other top state officials are elected in open voting.
For the amendments on open voting in presidential elections to take effect, the parliament still has to pass them in two more readings and incumbent President Raimonds Vejonis has to sign them into law.
Proponents of the new regulation hope that the bill will be adopted by October 4 when Latvia's current parliament convenes for its last session ahead of a forthcoming parliamentary election, scheduled for October 6.
