The Constitutional Court decides in what language to communicate with Russian children

Let us remind you that the hearings on the complete translation of private schools and kindergartens into Latvian recently ended – the verdict is expected in mid-May. Yesterday, the Constitutional Court began considering – this time in writing – the reform of another part of the same language reform, according to which all state (municipal) school and preschool institutions are translated exclusively into the state language.

The plaintiffs note that they proceeded from the fact that the previous reform, which provided for the language proportion in the basic school (from 1st to 9th grades) – 50:50 and 80:20, as well as the implementation of a teaching program in languages ​​of national minorities in kindergartens, will be the last.

However, the amendments adopted in 2022 by the last Seimas once more changed the “rules of the game”, and as a result, children of national minorities were left with only one opportunity to study their language, traditions and culture – optionally, that is, before or following the official curriculum. The plaintiffs believe this violates their constitutional rights.

The verdict on this reform is also expected in May, only at the end of the month. Essentially, this will be the final point for the Constitutional Court in a long epic with the translation of the entire process of formation of national minorities into the state language.

As is known, if the Constitutional Court does not repeal this law, from September 1, 2026, all education in schools of national minorities will be conducted exclusively in Latvian. Kindergartens have switched to the Latvian language only since last year. There is nothing further to reform – schools of national minorities will turn into ordinary Latvian schools. At least de jure.

Until now, the court has recognized all language amendments to the Education Law as complying with the Constitution. The only exception was the language changes in the Law on Higher Education, which sharply limited teaching in languages ​​other than Latvian in universities. The Sejm has been instructed to change legislation in this regard. True, the Ministry of Education has not yet prepared the corresponding changes.

Of course, there is still the possibility of challenging certain aspects of the language reform – regarding private educational institutions – in the European Court of Human Rights.