662:
95:
204:
1121:
508:
27:
117:
879:
622:
Latvia was seen as being one of the more skeptical countries on joining the
European Union, but polls in the years before the referendum consistently showed an advantage for supporters of EU accession. Only one
695:
with the highest Yes vote among
Latvians abroad with over 90% supporting membership. The highest No vote was in the poorer east of Latvia, especially where there were significant numbers of ethnic Russians.
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1171:
1390:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
634:
and the business community. They argued that this would give access to EU markets and development aid. They also stressed that membership would provide protection from pressure from
627:
in
February 2002 showed opponents of membership in the lead. Support for membership rose during the campaign with over 50% expected to support membership as the referendum neared.
1498:
1087:
943:
1427:
691:
countries holding referendums in 2003 and well above the 35% required in order to make the referendum binding. The Yes vote was ahead in 30 of the 34
1462:
593:
in
December 2002. On 27 December 2002 the Latvian government decided to hold a referendum on 20 September 2003 on joining the EU. In May 2003 the
1033:
491:
908:
1141:
645:. They also suggested that Latvia would suffer economically as the poorest of the candidate countries. Generally opposition was higher among
548:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1296:
1109:
392:
387:
382:
1523:
1508:
1407:
1518:
1467:
1452:
1417:
570:
471:
521:
1447:
1422:
867:
1457:
1221:
1513:
1432:
1412:
1277:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1231:
1226:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1117:
412:
340:
335:
330:
300:
1326:
464:
367:
362:
357:
1437:
1384:
1374:
1369:
646:
541:
1379:
1102:
1493:
638:. In the last few weeks the Yes campaign launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "Don’t stay aside!”
947:
641:
The No campaign argued that Latvia should not surrender the sovereignty they had recently gained from the
836:
534:
484:
425:
1095:
435:
1041:
585:
Latvia was invited to begin negotiations to join the EU in 1999 and was formally invited to join at a
1488:
828:
450:
915:
808:
251:
1503:
598:
577:
on the issue. Just over two-thirds of voters voted Yes and Latvia joined the EU on 1 May 2004.
217:
969:
1063:
288:
229:
994:
631:
430:
244:
8:
1288:
1125:
824:
666:
313:
224:
661:
293:
194:
1013:
863:
266:
650:
586:
909:"Referendum briefing No 10: Latvia's EU accession referendum, 20 September 2003"
812:
601:
to allow referendums on international matters. Campaigning began on 5 May 2003.
256:
688:
562:
440:
1482:
855:
684:
512:
1068:
692:
642:
624:
445:
831:, described the result as "wiping out forever the divisions on the map of
203:
1018:
590:
574:
823:
on and said that "Latvians understand this is a decisive moment!" The
420:
914:. European Parties Elections and Referendums Network. Archived from
820:
1133:
1120:
832:
635:
594:
566:
281:
613:
Do you support the membership of Latvia in the
European Union?
65:
Do you support the membership of Latvia in the
European Union?
816:
1037:
998:
973:
880:"Latvia to hold EU referendum on 20 September 2003"
815:, celebrated the result with 2,000 young people in
946:. EurActiv.com. 23 September 2003. Archived from
569:on 20 September 2003. Latvia was the last of the
19:2003 Latvian European Union membership referendum
1480:
1499:Referendums related to European Union accession
1103:
609:The question voted on in the referendum was:
542:
1011:
1110:
1096:
903:
901:
899:
897:
630:Supporters of joining the EU included the
549:
535:
1012:Grammaticas, Damian (20 September 2003).
938:
936:
660:
1026:
1005:
894:
1481:
872:
604:
1091:
933:
784:
773:
762:
751:
703:
1056:
962:
860:Elections in Europe: A data handbook
1126:Elections and referendums in Latvia
1040:. 21 September 2003. Archived from
882:. NewsLibrary.com. 27 December 2002
13:
995:"Latvians set to vote to EU entry"
987:
14:
1535:
944:"Latvia: Saying 'I Do' to Europe"
849:
1119:
1064:"Latvian yes completes EU sweep"
1034:"Latvia in decisive 'yes' to EU"
506:
202:
115:
93:
25:
1524:September 2003 events in Europe
1509:2003 in international relations
1014:"Latvia wrestles with EU dream"
647:southeastern regions of Latvia
571:states which would join the EU
1:
1519:Latvia and the European Union
842:
580:
802:
683:The results saw the highest
492:Ministers of foreign affairs
7:
858:& Philip Stöver (2010)
796:Source: Nohlen & Stöver
617:
10:
1540:
1514:2003 in the European Union
656:
1400:
1325:
1287:
1132:
795:
785:Registered voters/turnout
747:
736:
725:
714:
709:
706:
173:Registered voters/turnout
87:
84:
75:
70:
63:
39:
23:
809:Prime Minister of Latvia
465:Administrative divisions
837:Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
565:membership was held in
144:Invalid or blank votes
970:"World/Election Watch"
839:of 1939 placed here."
680:
599:Constitution of Latvia
1494:Referendums in Latvia
664:
1001:. 19 September 2003.
921:on 10 September 2008
829:Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga
632:coalition government
595:Parliament of Latvia
1072:. 22 September 2003
825:President of Latvia
819:. He put a blue EU
763:Invalid/blank votes
700:
693:electoral districts
605:Referendum question
20:
699:
681:
573:in 2004 to hold a
195:Politics of Latvia
18:
1476:
1475:
1044:on 8 October 2003
868:978-3-8329-5609-7
800:
799:
559:
558:
513:Latvia portal
485:Foreign relations
413:Political parties
320:Recent elections
188:
187:
184:
183:
54:
53:
47:20 September 2003
1531:
1489:2003 referendums
1124:
1123:
1112:
1105:
1098:
1089:
1088:
1082:
1081:
1079:
1077:
1060:
1054:
1053:
1051:
1049:
1030:
1024:
1023:
1009:
1003:
1002:
991:
985:
984:
982:
980:
966:
960:
959:
957:
955:
940:
931:
930:
928:
926:
920:
913:
905:
892:
891:
889:
887:
876:
870:
853:
835:that the odious
701:
698:
689:Eastern European
678:
673:
561:A referendum on
551:
544:
537:
515:
511:
510:
509:
472:Planning regions
294:Edvards Smiltēns
230:Edgars Rinkēvičs
206:
190:
189:
174:
119:
118:
97:
96:
77:
76:
59:
58:
41:
40:
35:
34:
30:
29:
28:
21:
17:
1539:
1538:
1534:
1533:
1532:
1530:
1529:
1528:
1479:
1478:
1477:
1472:
1396:
1321:
1283:
1128:
1118:
1116:
1086:
1085:
1075:
1073:
1062:
1061:
1057:
1047:
1045:
1032:
1031:
1027:
1010:
1006:
993:
992:
988:
978:
976:
968:
967:
963:
953:
951:
942:
941:
934:
924:
922:
918:
911:
907:
906:
895:
885:
883:
878:
877:
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854:
850:
845:
805:
676:
675:
671:
670:
659:
620:
607:
583:
555:
526:
522:Other countries
507:
505:
504:
497:
496:
487:
477:
476:
467:
457:
456:
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415:
405:
404:
399:
372:
347:
316:
306:
305:
284:
274:
273:
247:
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220:
197:
172:
116:
94:
82:
66:
57:
56:
55:
33:
32:
31:
26:
24:
12:
11:
5:
1537:
1527:
1526:
1521:
1516:
1511:
1506:
1504:2003 in Latvia
1501:
1496:
1491:
1474:
1473:
1471:
1470:
1465:
1460:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
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1420:
1415:
1410:
1404:
1402:
1398:
1397:
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1394:
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1377:
1372:
1367:
1362:
1357:
1352:
1347:
1342:
1337:
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1323:
1322:
1320:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1293:
1291:
1285:
1284:
1282:
1281:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1138:
1136:
1130:
1129:
1115:
1114:
1107:
1100:
1092:
1084:
1083:
1055:
1025:
1004:
986:
961:
950:on 9 June 2011
932:
893:
871:
847:
846:
844:
841:
804:
801:
798:
797:
793:
792:
789:
786:
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771:
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764:
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759:
756:
753:
749:
748:
745:
744:
741:
738:
734:
733:
730:
727:
723:
722:
719:
716:
712:
711:
708:
705:
687:of any of the
658:
655:
651:ethnic Russian
619:
616:
606:
603:
582:
579:
563:European Union
557:
556:
554:
553:
546:
539:
531:
528:
527:
525:
524:
518:
517:
516:
499:
498:
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483:
482:
479:
478:
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468:
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459:
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428:
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296:
285:
280:
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252:Prime Minister
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106:
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90:
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83:
80:
73:
72:
68:
67:
64:
61:
60:
52:
51:
49:
44:
37:
36:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1536:
1525:
1522:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1495:
1492:
1490:
1487:
1486:
1484:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1458:2008 (23 Aug)
1456:
1454:
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1403:
1399:
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1386:
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1378:
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1371:
1368:
1366:
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1356:
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1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
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1279:
1275:
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1265:
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1253:
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1248:
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1225:
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1215:
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1205:
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1200:
1198:
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1190:
1188:
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1178:
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1165:
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1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1139:
1137:
1135:
1134:Parliamentary
1131:
1127:
1122:
1113:
1108:
1106:
1101:
1099:
1094:
1093:
1090:
1071:
1070:
1065:
1059:
1043:
1039:
1035:
1029:
1021:
1020:
1015:
1008:
1000:
996:
990:
975:
971:
965:
949:
945:
939:
937:
917:
910:
904:
902:
900:
898:
881:
875:
869:
865:
861:
857:
856:Dieter Nohlen
852:
848:
840:
838:
834:
830:
826:
822:
818:
814:
810:
794:
790:
787:
783:
779:
776:
772:
768:
765:
761:
757:
754:
750:
746:
742:
739:
735:
731:
728:
724:
720:
717:
713:
702:
697:
694:
690:
686:
668:
663:
654:
652:
649:with a large
648:
644:
639:
637:
633:
628:
626:
615:
614:
610:
602:
600:
596:
592:
588:
578:
576:
572:
568:
564:
552:
547:
545:
540:
538:
533:
532:
530:
529:
523:
520:
519:
514:
503:
502:
501:
500:
493:
490:
489:
486:
481:
480:
473:
470:
469:
466:
461:
460:
452:
449:
447:
444:
442:
439:
437:
434:
432:
429:
427:
424:
422:
419:
418:
414:
409:
408:
396:
395:
391:
389:
386:
384:
380:
377:
376:
374:
369:
366:
364:
361:
359:
355:
352:
351:
349:
344:
343:
339:
337:
334:
332:
328:
325:
324:
322:
321:
319:
318:
315:
310:
309:
302:
299:
295:
292:
291:
290:
287:
286:
283:
278:
277:
268:
265:
264:
262:
258:
255:
254:
253:
250:
249:
246:
241:
240:
231:
228:
227:
226:
223:
222:
219:
214:
213:
210:
209:
205:
201:
200:
196:
192:
191:
179:
176:
171:
170:
167:
164:
162:
159:
157:
154:
153:
149:
146:
143:
142:
138:
135:
132:
131:
127:
124:
122:
114:
113:
110:
107:
105:
102:
100:
92:
91:
79:
78:
74:
69:
62:
50:
48:
45:
43:
42:
38:
22:
16:
1453:2008 (2 Aug)
1442:
1389:
1276:
1074:. Retrieved
1069:The Guardian
1067:
1058:
1046:. Retrieved
1042:the original
1028:
1017:
1007:
989:
977:. Retrieved
964:
952:. Retrieved
948:the original
923:. Retrieved
916:the original
884:. Retrieved
874:
859:
851:
813:Einars Repše
806:
682:
653:population.
643:Soviet Union
640:
629:
625:opinion poll
621:
612:
611:
608:
597:amended the
584:
560:
393:
378:
354:Presidential
353:
341:
326:
257:Evika Siliņa
218:Constitution
165:
160:
155:
133:Valid votes
120:
108:
103:
98:
46:
15:
1401:Referendums
1076:17 February
1048:17 February
979:17 February
954:17 February
925:17 February
886:17 February
774:Total votes
752:Valid votes
301:Dissolution
156:Total votes
1483:Categories
1019:BBC Online
843:References
665:Result by
591:Copenhagen
581:Background
575:referendum
245:Government
177:1,414,133
136:1,002,680
1327:Municipal
803:Reactions
788:1,414,133
777:1,010,467
755:1,002,680
740:1,002,680
314:Elections
225:President
161:1,010,467
1289:European
862:, p1122
669:and city
667:district
618:Campaign
379:European
263:Cabinet
125:325,980
821:t-shirt
729:325,980
726:Against
718:676,700
685:turnout
679:Against
657:Results
289:Speaker
180:71.45%
166:100.00%
139:99.23%
128:32.51%
104:676,700
71:Results
866:
833:Europe
780:100.00
743:100.00
704:Choice
677:
672:
636:Russia
587:summit
567:Latvia
327:Saeima
282:Saeima
267:Siliņa
150:0.77%
147:7,787
109:67.49%
85:Votes
81:Choice
919:(PDF)
912:(PDF)
791:71.45
766:7,787
758:99.23
737:Total
732:32.51
721:67.49
707:Votes
1468:2012
1463:2011
1448:2007
1443:2003
1438:1999
1433:1998
1428:1991
1423:1934
1418:1931
1413:1927
1408:1923
1391:2025
1385:2021
1380:2020
1375:2017
1370:2013
1365:2010
1360:2009
1355:2005
1350:2003
1345:2001
1340:1997
1335:1994
1317:2024
1312:2019
1307:2014
1302:2009
1297:2004
1278:Next
1272:2022
1267:2018
1262:2014
1257:2011
1252:2010
1247:2006
1242:2002
1237:1998
1232:1995
1227:1993
1222:1990
1217:1985
1212:1980
1207:1975
1202:1971
1197:1967
1192:1963
1187:1959
1182:1955
1177:1951
1172:1947
1167:1940
1162:1931
1157:1928
1152:1925
1147:1922
1142:1920
1078:2008
1050:2008
981:2008
956:2008
927:2008
888:2008
864:ISBN
817:Riga
807:The
769:0.77
394:2024
388:2019
383:2014
368:2023
363:2019
358:2015
342:next
336:2022
331:2018
1038:CNN
999:CNN
974:CNN
715:For
674:For
589:in
451:PRO
446:LPV
441:ST!
426:ZZS
99:Yes
1485::
1066:.
1036:.
1016:.
997:.
972:.
935:^
896:^
827:,
811:,
436:NA
431:AS
421:JV
381::
356::
329::
121:No
88:%
1111:e
1104:t
1097:v
1080:.
1052:.
1022:.
983:.
958:.
929:.
890:.
710:%
550:e
543:t
536:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
