The presidents of the Baltic States: Comparative overview

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are three countries that encompass diverse and creative constitutional solutions when it comes to the system of separation of powers and the constitutional engineering of the role of the president of the republic. Sharing the same Soviet history, these sovereign states continue to maintain high level of cooperation, but also develop their constitutional systems in different directions. While Lithuania adopted one form of the semi-presidential system, Estonia and Latvia on the other hand opted for parliamentary ones. Differences are especially prominent when it comes to particular presidential powers, e.g. presidential veto power, where constitutional solutions of these countries manifest attributes that are not only significantly different from one another, but also unique in a general comparative perspective and from the theoretical standpoint. Some of these powers also enable (or have the potential to do so) the presidents of Estonia, and especially Latvia to achieve much more prominent role in comparison to the one that is to be expected from the president in a parliamentary system. In this paper the author analyses key elements regarding presidential power in all three of the Baltic States, their constitutional foundation and framework, as well as real manifestation in political life, especially highlighting the sui generis constitutional solutions that the Baltic States exhibit in this matter.