Latvia
Country in N Europe, bounded E by Russia, N by Estonia, N and NW by
the Baltic Sea, S by Lithuania, and SE by Belarus.
Government
Under the 1922 constitution, which was partially restored 1990, Latvia
is a democratic, parliamentary republic. There is a 100-seat national
legislature, the Seima, which is elected by proportional representation
for a three-year term and which elects a president to serve as
titular head of state for a similar term. Executive power is held
by a prime minister, drawn from the majority party or grouping
within the assembly.
History
The Vikings invaded the area now known as Latvia in the 9th century
and the Russians attacked in the 10th century. The invasion of
the Teutonic Knights (German crusaders) in the 13th century was
resisted in a lengthy struggle, but Latvia eventually came under
their control 1230, converted to Christianity, and was governed
by them for more than 200 years. By 1562 Poland and Lithuania
had taken over most of the country. Sweden conquered the north
1621 and Russia took over control of this area 1710. By 1800 all
of Latvia had come under Russian control. The Latvian independence
movement began to emerge in the late 1800s and continued to grow
in the early 20th century.
Struggle for independence
Latvia was partly occupied by the Germans during World War I. The USSR
reclaimed control 1917 but was overthrown by Germany Feb 1918,
after which Latvia declared its independence. Soviet rule was
restored when Germany withdrew Dec 1918, but Soviet forces were
again overthrown by British naval and German forces May-Dec 1919,
and democratic rule was established. A parliamentary constitution,
based on pure proportional representation, was adopted 1922. A
coup 1934 replaced the established government. In 1939 a secret
German-Soviet agreement assigned Latvia to Soviet rule and in
1940 Latvia was incorporated as a constituent republic of the
USSR. During World War II Latvia was again occupied by German
forces 1941-44, but the USSR regained control 1944.
Communist rule
Under the communists, there were mass deportations of Latvians to Russia
and central Asia, an influx of ethnic Russians, and development
of heavy industries and collective farms. Repression of Latvian
cultural and literary life was extreme during the 1960s and 1970s
as a result of a purge of the Latvian Communist Party by Soviet
leader Nikita Krushchev, which saw Latvian-born members replaced
by those born in the USSR.
Resurgence of nationalism
As in the other Baltic republics, nationalist dissent grew from 1980,
influenced by the Polish example and the glasnost (`political
openness´) and perestroika (`economic restructuring´ ) initiatives
of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. A Latvian Popular Front was
established Oct 1988 to campaign for independence and in the same
month the prewar flag was readopted and official status given
to the Latvian language. In the same year Anatolijs Gorbunovs
was elected president. In Jan 1990 the Latvian Communist Party
(LCP) broke its links with Moscow. Its constitutional guarantee
of a monopoly of power was abolished and a multiparty system emerged,
the 1990 March-April elections resulting in a Popular Front government
with Ivars Godmanis as prime minister. In May 1990 Latvia followed
the lead taken by Lithuania when it unilaterally declared independence
from the USSR, subject to a transitional period for negotiation.
In Jan 1991 Soviet paratroopers seized key installations in Riga,
but withdrew later in the month after international protests.
Independence
Latvia boycotted an all-Union referendum on the future of the USSR
March 1991 and instead held a plebiscite on independence, which
received 73.7% support. During the coup attempt against President
Gorbachev in the USSR, Soviet troops seized the radio and television
station in Riga. In response, on 21 Aug 1991, the republic declared
its immediate independence and outlawed the CP. This declaration
was recognized by the Soviet government and Western nations Sept
1991 and the new state was granted membership of the United Nations.
In March 1992 Russia agreed to a pullout of ex-Soviet troops from
Latvia, to be completed by 1994.
Economic reform
The Popular Front administration instituted market-centred economic
reforms, with a new currency, the lat, replacing the rouble March
1993. In the short term, the republic suffered from a disruption
of trading relations with the USSR. It experienced fuel and raw
material shortages, a decline in GDP, and a consequent sharp increase
in inflation and crime. The introduction of a new citizenship
law 1992 - requiring those who had not been, or were not the descendants
of, citizens of the pre-1940 republic to apply for naturalization
- prompted Russia to ask the UN for the protection of minorities
in Latvia. Naturalization requirements included knowledge of the
Latvian language and residence of 16 years in Latvia.
The Popular Front was decisively defeated in the June 1993 general
election, and replaced by a coalition government centred around
the Latvian Way, led by acting president Anatolijs Gorbunovs,
and the Latvian Peasants' Union (LZS). Guntis Ulmanis, leader
of the LZS, was elected state president, with Gorbunovs as parliamentary
speaker and Valdis Birkavs as prime minister. The new government
pledged to continue its programme of economic reform, aiming to
secure privatization of at least 75% of state enterprises by 1996
while providing strong support for farmers. Birkavs and his government
resigned July 1994, and Maris Gailis was appointed premier. The
last Russian troops left Latvia Aug 1994. A trade and cooperation
agreement was signed with the European Union June 1995, and in
Oct an official application was made for membership.
The Oct 1995 elections produced a hung parliament, with two
extremist populist parties, the pro-Russian Movement for Latvia
and the ex- communist-led Master in Your Own Home (Saimnieks),
attracting the most support - 15% of the vote each. Almost a third
of Latvia's inhabitants were unable to vote in the election, the
majority being Russian speakers who had failed to meet the country's
stringent requirements for citizenship. Andris Skele was appointed
prime minister. In June 1996 Guntis Ulmanis was re-elected president
for a second term by parliament.
In Oct 1996 Ziedonis Cevers, leader of the Democratic Party
Saimnieks, which was part of an eight-party coalition, resigned
as deputy prime minister because of his opposition to the `authoritarian
style´ of the non- party prime minister Andris Skele and his draconian
budget plan. Finance minister Aivars Kreituss, who had been expelled
from the Democratic Party Saimnieks, resigned earlier in the month.
In Jan 1997 prime minister Skele resigned after his appointment
as finance minister of Vasilijs Melniks (a man investigated, but
cleared, of an alleged conflict of interests by the Prosecutors'
Office) was criticized by President Guntis Ulmanis. However, he
was reinstalled within nine days and appointed a new coalition
cabinet Feb 1997.
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