The far right in Latvia: Should we be worried?

Edition Politik, 2016

far-right-in-latvia-should-we-be-worried/[07.04.2016 16:10:43] von gast in Rechtsradikalismus, Sicherheitskultur Kommentare (0) This is the seventh article in our series Trouble on the Far-Right. For more information on the series, please click here.

Right-Wing Populism in Europe : Politics and Discourse, 2013

Introduction 2011 saw sharply contrasting parliamentary elections in neighbouring Estonia and Latvia. The 6 March 2011 poll in Estonia was the first election in post-communist Europe to feature an unchanged line-up of competing political parties, indicating a high level of political stability despite the financial and political turmoil that marked much of Europe in 2011 (Pettai et al. 2011). In contrast, the same year Latvia experienced its first early election, triggered by a referendum, on the recall of Parliament, called by the Latvian president in protest to a perceived 'privatization of democracy in Latvia' (Zatlers 2011). Moreover, the radical-right populist Visu Latvijai!/Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK (National Alliance of All for Latvia!/For Fatherland and Freedom/ Latvian National Independence Movement) almost doubled its share of the votes it won in the October 2010 regular election, and then subsequently took up government office in a new three-party coalition. In contrast, the Estonian Independence Party (Estonia's leading radical-right populist party) claimed just 0.4 per cent of the votes in March 2011. This chapter examines and explains the contrasting fortunes of radical-right populist movements in Estonia and Latvia. We first analyse the status quo of radicalright populist parties in Estonia and Latvia and describe the recent emergence of the National Alliance as a credible and competitive party in Latvia. 1 We then compare political party rhetoric along three key radical-right populist dimensions-nativism, authoritarianism and populism (Mudde 2007, 2010). Finally, we argue that there are two key long-term explanations for the emergence of the National Alliance as a credible force in Latvia. First, the language of radical-right populists has long been

This chapter explores the responses of Latvia's left wing parties to the 2008 economic crisis. It is argued that, because Latvia's political spectrum can be characterised in terms of ethnic, rather than ideological, cleavages, the responses of the country’s radical left have been heavily constrained by ethnic considerations that are peculiar to Latvia’s post-Soviet political environment. The conflation of ethnic and ideological ‘leftness’ explains the ultimate failure of leftist parties to gain wider political and social traction in Latvia. Crucially, it has almost entirely prevented the country’s extant radical left from moving beyond its communist roots and articulating an anti-austerity message that could transcend ethnic cleavages.

2017

Religion, politics and identity in the Baltics after the Soviet Union. Post-communist and post-atheist Latvia: the difficult transition from the USSR to the EU. From collectivization to neoliberalism: European Union after the eastern enlargement of 2004. Nazist Latvia (1941-1944) Soviet Latvia (1944-1991) Post-Soviet Latvia (1991-2004) Latvia joins European Union and NATO (2004) Latvia joins the Eurozone (2014) Latvia abolishes the use of the Russian language in schools and universities in favor of the languages of the European Union (2018) Latvian KGB secret archives open (2018) Latvia addresses the problem of post-Soviet "non-citizens" or "nepsilons" without a passport in the EU (2019) I wrote these reportages from Latvia while I was living in Rēzekne, where I did my EVS (European Voluntary Project) and I worked as a language teacher and in social programmes with youngster from all around Europe. All those articles are published on Cafébabel

Journal of Contemporary European Studies, 2009

Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees

1993. "Pre!sidmthl Decree Dissolves U d Republic." In Radio Free Europe, November 8, b.-1993. "Commenb on the New Draft Co~titution." In Radio Free Europc, November 12.-1993. "Yeltsin Promiaer to Guarantee P r e~ Pmdom." In Radio Free Europe 201, October 22, a.-. 1993. "Liberal Prew Expresses Doubt About Fairness of Election Campaign." In Radio Free Europe 204, October 22, b.-. 1993. "Leadaof Republlun PartyComments on Elections." In Radio F m Europe 204, October 22, c. The Tonmto Stm. 1993. "Yeltdn a Failure, Gorbachw mp." March 26. Vizhutovich, Valeriy. 1993. "Ministerstvo Bezopamorti Obyazano Garantiroat Bezopasrmt Goeudurtva i Ego Grazhdrn (The W t r y of Security Hu a Duty to Guarantee Security of the State and its Citizens)." In Zsvrstia, May 7. Wishnwsky, Julia. 1993. "Independent Media in Jeopardy?" In Radio Free Europc 210, November 2.-1993. "Draft Law Gives Extensive Investigative Powers to Former KGB." In Radio Free Europe 89, May 11. Yasmann, Victor. 1993. "Corruption in Russia: A Threat to Democracy?" In Radio Free Europe Research Report 2(10), March 5.

National Defence Academy of Latvia, Center for Security and Strategic Research, 2016

The conflict in Ukraine has brought security issues of the Baltic States, a region that is frequently mentioned as a potential risk region for similar military operations, to the front of international agenda. The possibility of a Ukraine-like scenario taking place in Latvia is suggested by such factors as the latter’s geographical proximity to Russia, its comparatively large proportion of Russian speaking population, the fact that it belonged the Russian empire and the Soviet Union historically, as well as the disparity in military potential between Russia and the Baltic States. Taking this into account, research was undertaken from January 2015 to March 2016, to find out the views of the Latvian public on a variety of issues linked to national security. The research was undertaken primarily in the context of a hybrid war, with the goal of finding out what the potential was for the application of non-military means in Latvia to achieve goals which are hostile to the state. The results of the research provided an insight into views on the Latvian state, the sense of national belonging, the influence of the media, an understanding of the most significant threats and the spread of Russia’s narratives within Latvia, as well as about Latvia’s defence system and policy.