Saeima backs higher maintenance guarantee payments in first reading, but €20 million must still be found
Latvia's parliament passed in first reading amendments to the Maintenance Guarantee Fund Law that would align the fund's payments with the Civil Law minimum. The next Saeima will decide the bill's fate, as about €20 million still has to be found in the budget.
Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, passed amendments to the Maintenance Guarantee Fund Law in first reading. The fund temporarily pays child maintenance when one parent fails to do so. The amendments would raise these payments, but the fiscal impact would be about €20 million. The bill's future is up to the next Saeima, because the deadline for proposals is 30 October and the current term will not consider it again. In the first-reading vote, 80 deputies voted in favour.
Different payments for children in the same situation
Speaking for the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee, deputy Jurģis Klotiņš (National Alliance) explained that the fund's payment amount is currently set by Cabinet regulations and is considerably lower than the amount under Section 179 of the Civil Law. The two amounts were originally equal but diverged over time through several decisions.
For a child under seven, the gap is €40: where parents have agreed and pay in good faith, the minimum is €195, while the fund pays €155. For older children the gap is €54. Klotiņš stressed that children should have equal opportunities regardless of whether a parent meets their obligation.
Debate over funding and debtors
Antonina Ņenaševa (Progressives) recalled that the Saeima already considered these amendments in 2023 but failed to secure support. She said balancing the budget would be the responsibility of the new Finance Ministry. Klotiņš added that the National Alliance and deputy Uģis Mitrevics submitted a similar bill in September 2025, but it stayed in the drawer of the committee, then chaired by the Progressives. He also noted that at second reading an entry-into-force date could be set in line with fiscal capacity.
Juris Viļums (AS), one of the bill's authors, said he would not vote for it precisely because of the missing €20 million, which makes it unfeasible from 1 January 2027. He said the state had paid €56 million into the fund for a previous period but recovered only €17 million. Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (New Unity), a former justice minister, argued that most debtors are able to work but unwilling to pay.
