Latvia - 76.98
34
10% Stateless
Perhaps the largest problem facing Latvia today is the large portion of the Latvian population that are “non-citizens.” “Non-citizen” is a title reserved for people forcibly relocated from other former Soviet Socialist Republics without citizenship in their home country. “Non-citizens” do not have citizenship in Latvia or any other country and the Latvian government is failing to repatriate them or grant them citizenship. Some 10% of Latvia’s population are “non-citizens.” Roma and LGBT Latvians also face nationwide discrimination, and the country is widely recognized as one of the worst EU countries to be gay. Despite tolerating discrimination on the levels present in Latvia, the government maintains some of the strictest hate speech laws of any EU country. Latvia is also subject to relatively high corruption by EU standards, with public contracts notoriously difficult to obtain in the country. Latvia’s future is also uncertain, as the country suffers from one of the fastest shrinking populations in the world and has not seen population growth since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Human Rights - 83
Latvia has fully abolished the death penalty. The government has consistently failed to protect so-called “non-citizens.” “Non-citizen,” a title reserved for those forcibly relocated to the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic under the Soviet Union, grants a passport but not the right to vote. Until recently, children of non-citizens born in Latvia were not automatically made citizens. Roma face discrimination in many parts of the country. Many private schools have all-but-explicit bans on Roma children attending and it is difficult for Roma children to enroll even in public schools in some areas. Latvia is widely regarded as one of the worst EU member states in which to be gay. Trans Latvians can change their legal gender after sex reassignment surgery but cannot serve openly. Latvia guarantees discrimination protections in employment but not in other fields. Any single person can adopt but there is no same-sex joint adoption.
Democracy - 92
The president is elected by the Saeima while the prime minister is nominated by the president and approved by the Saeima. The Saeima, Latvia’s unicameral legislative body, is directly elected. Elections are free and fair and the country boasts a strong multi-party system - the current ruling coalition consists of five parties. Parties catering to the country’s ethnic Russian minority, constituting over a quarter of the population, have never been invited to a ruling coalition. "Non-citizens,” constituting some 10% of Latvia’s population, lack voting rights. The government recently redistricted its provinces, with the number of provinces reduced from 119 to 42. Districting remains relatively free and fair.
Freedom - 76
Libel is a criminal offense and the government has occasionally threatened journalists with libel suits or charges. Latvia has zero-tolerance hate speech laws. Speech triggering ethnic, racial, religious, or national hatred is punishable by between three and ten years imprisonment. The government has occasionally cited anti-propaganda laws in its decisions to block access to several Russian news websites and radio broadcasters. A 2017 law enables the firing of teachers “disloyal to the state,” though it has never been enforced. First-time drug offenses are punishable only by an official warning while repeat offenses are punishable by small fines, shot jail sentences, and community service. Latvia also maintains extensive state-supported quitting programs. Latvia shall issue gun ownership licenses for semi-automatic rifles and handguns.
Economy - 83
Health - 86
Latvia has a life expectancy of 75 years and an infant mortality rate of 0.31%. 23.6% of Latvians are obese and 2.5% are malnourished. Latvia’s universal healthcare system is fairly strong but suffers from long wait times. The Latvian healthcare system receives significantly less funding than that of other EU countries, and as a result, most wealthy Latvians pay for private healthcare. 99.3% of Latvians have access to clean, running water. 37.6% of adult Latvians smoke regularly.
Corruption - 68
Latvia’s judicial system is subject to some political pressure. Public services are often difficult to obtain without bribery. Corruption is sometimes encountered in registering land ownership. Latvia’s tax administration is easy to exploit and tax fraud is easy to get away with in Latvia. Public contracts are often difficult to obtain without bribery.
Competency - 61
The Latvian population has been shrinking rapidly and the government is failing to respond. Latvia must loosen its immigration laws and allow immigrants to counteract the population shrinkage. The government is failing to protect non-citizens, granting them minimal rights and keeping them stateless since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Ethnic minorities in Latvia also see few protections, with Roma and Russians across the country facing discrimination.
Future - 54
Latvia has made an excellent recovery from the Soviet Union but its future today is uncertain. Latvia’s population continues to shrink and the government has repeatedly failed to respond to it.
Actions Abroad - 70
Beyond being a member of the EU and NATO, Latvia is largely isolationist.
0.3% of Latvians live under the international poverty line while 2.3% live below the national poverty line. Some 22.9% of Latvians are at risk of poverty and the country has one of the lowest poverty lines in the European Union. 8.19% of Latvians are unemployed. Latvia has a low economic disparity. The minimum wage in Latvia is $486 per month. Latvia’s universal healthcare system is fairly strong. It is comparable to the NHS in that it provides high-quality care but is subject to long wait times. The Latvian healthcare system sees significantly less funding than other EU healthcare systems. Most wealthy Latvians pay for private healthcare. Latvia’s GDP shrunk 3.6% in 2020 and grew 2% in 2019.