Skip to content

Ombudsman Jansons removed from position of office

On June 19th, Juris Jansons, the long-standing Ombudsman, was unceremoniously removed from his role by the Saeima.

Ombudsman Jansons has been removed from his position
Ombudsman Jansons has been removed from his position

Ombudsman Jansons removed from position of office

In a significant political move, the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, unanimously dismissed Ombudsman Juris Jansons on 19th June 2025. The decision, initiated by 38 MPs from all 14 factions in the 14th Saeima, was met with broad parliamentary consensus, with 86 MPs supporting the dismissal.

The dismissal of Jansons, who had served as the Ombudsman since 17th March 2011, was not based on a single specific incident but rather a combination of political disagreement and perceived performance concerns. The exact incidents or misconduct cited by the initiating MPs were not elaborated in the available sources, suggesting a broader dissatisfaction with Jansons' tenure.

Jansons' involvement in contentious human rights issues, including cases related to minority rights and government accountability, may have contributed to the political dissatisfaction. Issues such as the mishandling of hate crimes and asylum cases raised by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) under Latvia’s governance may have indirectly influenced the political disagreement with Jansons' approaches or public positions.

Initially, Jansons did not express a desire to resign. However, after the MPs' letter was made public, which stated that Jansons' actions regularly undermined the authority and prestige of the Ombudsman's office, Jansons announced his resignation the following day. The Ombudsman's Office's lack of confidence in Jansons may have also contributed to his resignation.

The MPs expected the Ombudsman to adhere to high standards of conduct in representing the institution, including in public statements. However, Jansons' ability to perform his duties was questioned due to hints about possible alcohol consumption problems. This was not the first time Jansons failed to appear in parliament.

Jansons' term of office was set to expire in 2026, but his dismissal was made without debate in the Saeima. The decision marks a significant shift in Latvia's political landscape, as the Ombudsman's office moves forward without its long-serving leader.

While the exact reasons for Jansons' dismissal remain somewhat unclear, the parliament's decision reflects a broader disagreement with his tenure and approach to his role as Ombudsman. As more detailed specifics from the MPs' formal reasoning or statements become available, a clearer picture of the events leading to Jansons' dismissal may emerge.

The parliamentary decision to dismiss Juris Jansons, the Latvian Ombudsman, was not solely based on a single incident but a combination of political disagreement and perceived performance concerns, potentially linked to his handling of contentious human rights issues, war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news. The dismissal, made by 86 MPs in the 14th Saeima, was followed by Jansons' resignation after public scrutiny and an MPs' letter that questioned his ability to adhere to high standards, with hints about possible alcohol consumption problems, all of which were reported by LSM (Latvian Television).

Read also:

    Latest