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History and Government
History: The largest of the three Baltic Republics, Latvia has, like Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south, been an important trading centre and strategic pawn in the Baltic region. The various Latvian tribes were self-governing until the end of the 13th century when the territory was conquered by the German Teutonic Knights. Latvia was then subject to sporadic invasions by the Poles and the Swedes until the 18th century when Russia, under Peter the Great, emerged as a major European power. By 1795, the entire Latvian territory was under Russian control. The Bolshevik revolution of 1917 heralded the end of Russian suzerainty: this was decided at the 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk under which Russia was obliged to cede its Baltic territories.
The Bolsheviks invaded Latvia the following year, but were driven out by a joint Latvian-German force. The Treaty of Versailles then forced the Germans to leave, allowing the Latvians to assert their independence for the first time in more than 600 years. However, World War II again threatened the country with foreign domination and, in 1940, the Russians took over once more. Latvia had, that same year, signed a bilateral non-aggression pact with the Germans and a pact with Moscow. The Russians were driven out by the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, but returned three years later, after which Latvia was incorporated into the Soviet Union along with Estonia and Lithuania as one of the 15 Soviet republics. The process that led eventually to Latvia’s present independence began with the accession of Mikhail Gorbachev as Soviet leader in 1985.
Campaigning for democracy and independence began in earnest in October 1988 with the formation of the Popular Front of Latvia (LTF). In contrast with neighbouring Estonia, the Latvian Communist Party adopted an anti-reform stance and called for the establishment of presidential rule (by decree). At elections to the Supreme Soviet in March 1990, the Popular Front of Latvia won a convincing victory. The new Latvian Supreme Soviet thereupon adopted a series of resolutions to prepare the transition to full independence. The new state was quickly recognised internationally and re-admitted to the UN.
Gradually, the trappings of sovereign statehood were assumed and in March 1993 a new currency, the Lat, was introduced. Latvia’s foreign relations are dominated by links with the Russian Federation and the Commonwealth of Independent States, which none of the three Baltic Republics joined. But Latvia, along with Lithuania and Estonia, did join the Council of Baltic States, which seeks to promote political and economic links in the region. On the domestic political front, the first post-independence elections were held in June 1993. This was the first of ten governments to have held office in the country’s first decade of independence. The proportional representation system used by Latvia tends to promote coalition politics. The instability of successive governments may point to a deeper malaise in Latvian politics: any significant dispute seems sufficient to undermine a particular administration. Some of this can be attributed, however, to the difficulty of the transition from the Soviet regime to a pluralist system.
From May 2000 until the most recent elections in October 2002, Latvia was governed by a four-party centre-right coalition led by Andris Berzins, leader of Latvijas Cei (LC, Latvian Way). Berzins replaced Andris Skele, who had resigned as prime minister for the third time in four years. The coalition also included the Tautas Partija (People’s Party). A major domestic political issue has been the interrelated problems of citizenship and relationships with Russia. The suppression of Latvian language and culture during the Soviet era has left a legacy of hostility between ethnic Latvians and Russians which is only gradually being overcome.
The most recent election in October 2002 saw the eclipse of Berzins’ Latvian Way and of several other previously important political groupings. The People’s Party, however, was resilient enough to engage in a three-way struggle for supremacy. The other contenders were the main leftist bloc, known by its Latvian acronym as PCLTV (Human Rights in a United Latvia), and a completely new party called Jaunais Laiks (New Era) led by a political neophyte, Einars Repse, the former head of the Latvian central bank. New Era emerged marginally ahead of the other two: at the time of writing, a coalition between New Era and the People’s Party appears the most probably outcome.
Abroad, the priorities of successive governments, irrespective of their composition or longevity, have been gaining membership of the EU and NATO. The NATO issue is a delicate one, given that Latvia borders Russia: though initially hostile, it now appears that the Russians will concede the entry of all three Baltic states into the treaty. An invitation to join NATO is likely to be offered at the NATO summit in Prague in November 2002. Membership of the EU demanded at least a decade of major structural reforms to Latvia’s political and economic systems. The first steps were taken with the signing of an Association Agreement with the EU and, in 1995, admission to the Council of Europe. By the end of 2002, almost all the EU’s entrance criteria had been met and Latvia is now expected to join along with nine other applicants – mostly from central and eastern Europe – in 2004.
Government: Under the current constitution, legislative power is vested in the elected 100-member Saiema (Supreme Council) which is elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. Executive power is held by the Prime Minister who heads an appointed cabinet of ministers. The head of state, the President, is elected by, and chairs, the Saiema.
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