Popular Front of Latvia

The Tautas fronte Latvijas (Latvian Popular Front ) was in the late 1980s and early 1990s, a political organization in Latvia, which led the country to independence from the Soviet Union. It is comparable to the Estonian Popular Front and the Sajudis movement in Lithuania.

Your newspaper Atmoda ( awakening ) was published in Latvian and Russian language from 1989 to 1992.

Historical Background

Latvia as Estonia and Lithuania, occupied in 1940 by the Soviet Union. To avoid bloodshed, it was against the occupation relatively little visible resistance, but many Latvians were deeply dissatisfied and waiting for an opportunity to regain independence. One such opportunity arose in the 1980s, when Gorbachev tried to reform the Soviet Union. Especially Gorbachev's policy of glasnost helped, but they allowed a greater degree of freedom of speech in the Soviet Union than ever before.

The Latvian independence movement began in 1986 with small demonstrations for Independence and Human Rights, organized by the group Helsinki -86 and suppressed by the government of the Latvian SSR. The breakthrough came in the summer of 1988. Many prominent Latvians publicly expressed their support for the desire for more autonomy. The Latvian newspapers began to write about aspects of Latvian history that had previously been forbidden, for example the occupation of 1940. The flag of Latvia also prohibited until now, returned, a new strong wave of Latvian national identity ran through the country.

The Popular Front 1988-1990

This wave created various political organizations that had a more prescribed to autonomy or independence of Latvia. Of these was Latvijas Tautas fronte the largest. It was founded on 9 October 1988. In the beginning, took Tautas fronte a moderate position, she demanded far-reaching autonomy for Latvia, holding on but before the call for independence back. The Popular Front was supported by moderate members of the leadership of the Latvian SSR, opposed by the hardliners, however.

Tautas fronte grew rapidly to 250,000 members. Their goal was to create a broad coalition of all the forces advocating autonomy or independence. Because 48 % of the population in the area of ​​SSR non- Latvians (mainly people who had moved there from other parts of the Soviet Union) was also trying to achieve the national minorities. To this end, the Popular Front expressed primarily on the right to education in languages ​​other than Latvian and Russian. At the same time, however, she worked with more radical Latvian independence movement.

Slowly opinion and destination within the Latvian People's Front of autonomy within the Soviet Union moved towards full independence. On 31 May 1989, she announced that the Government of the Soviet Union had the Latvian autonomy effort shown towards not sufficiently cooperative and that an independent Latvia had become the only option.

1989 and 1990 the first free elections were held since the Soviet occupation in 1940 in Latvia. The most important was on 18 March 1990 election to the Supreme Soviet, the parliament of the Latvian SSR. The Independence Alliance, led by the Tautas fronte, won 138 of 201 seats.

The Popular Front 1990-1993

After these elections Tautas fronte was the ruling party in Latvia, on May 4, 1990, the first law was passed by the new top- Soviet, which declared Latvia's intention to establish independence again. Dainis Ivans, the chairman of the Popular Front was Speaker of Parliament and the deputy prime minister and stop the Crisis. Many other members of Tautas fronte took over key positions in the Latvian government.

From May 1990 to August 1991, there was a tense situation in Latvia. The independence was not recognized by the government of the Soviet Union and it threatened the military crackdown on the Latvian independence aspirations.

On the banks of the Daugava Riga's Old Town appeared on Soviet tanks. The television broadcast the sounds of nocturnal shootings in the Old Town. On the streets, barricades were erected and guarded day and night by unarmed civilians who sang Latvian songs. Therefore, these events are now referred to as the " singing revolution ".

In August 1991, Latvia's independence was recognized. Thus, the policy objective of Tautas fronte was reached. But now they faced a far more difficult task against: to convert the previous state socialist command economy into a market economy system. The economic transition was very difficult, the gross national product declined between 1990 and 1993 back to half. With the economic deterioration of the popularity of Prime Minister Godmanis subsided. Many politicians left the Latvian Popular Front and founded new parties to be not associated with the unpopular government.

The end of the Popular Front

In June 1993, Latvia held its first elections from since the restoration of independence. The weakened by the economic difficulties and the departure of many of its politicians Latvian Popular Front reached just 2.62% of the votes and not a single seat in parliament. She tried to be a Christian Democratic party to renew and changed its name to Jaunā Kristīgā partija ( New Christian Party), but was unsuccessful. Finally, she went to another party to the Kristīgi demokratiskā Savieniba ( Christian Democratic Union) on.

Legacy

All or almost all goals of Tautas fronte have been achieved. Latvia is now an independent country with Latvian as the only official language. His compensation formerly Communist and the Soviet Union's economy and politics today are oriented market economy and democratic. Although the Latvian People's Front ceased during the economic difficulties of the mid- 1990s to exist, many of its former activists play an important role.

• Policy ( Latvia)
• Latvian history
• Historic Party ( Latvia)
• Latvian SSR
• Nationalism