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Hay & Menon: European Politics

Latvia

After the fall of the communist regime in Latvia, the new government was keen to apply for membership of the EC/EU due to its ability to offer both political and economic stability. Latvia adopted a European Agreement with the EC in June 1995 and made its official application for EU membership in October 1995. It was therefore one of the latest CEECs to apply for EU membership. Latvia was also one of the second wave of applicant countries to be invited to begin accession talks at the Helsinki European Council in 1999. On 20 September 2003 Latvia held a referendum on the issue of the country's accession to the EU, in which 67% of voters supported accession, with a turnout of 72.5%. On 1 May 2004 Latvia joined the EU. Latvia is one of the poorest CEECs to have joined the EU in 2004. Thus, in 2005, Latvian GDP per capita was 47% of the EU average. This is reflected in the level of support for the EU amongst the Latvian population. According to a Eurobarometer survey conducted in spring 2006, Latvia is the least supportive of the 2004 wave of member states, and only Austria is less supportive of the EU. Only 37% of respondents felt that Latvia's membership of the EU had been a good thing.