Latvia's Declaration of Independence from the Soviet Union in 1990
The year 1990 marked a pivotal moment in Latvian history when the small Baltic nation declared its independence from the Soviet Union, setting in motion a series of events that would lead to the full restoration of its sovereignty after five decades of occupation. This momentous decision did not occur in isolation but was the culmination of decades of resistance, years of political activism during Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms, and centuries of Latvian struggle for self-determination. The declaration of May 4, 1990, represented both a legal restoration of Latvia's pre-war independence and a bold challenge to Soviet authority that would ultimately contribute to the dissolution of the USSR itself.
Historical Context: From Occupation to Resistance
To fully understand the significance of Latvia's 1990 declaration, we must examine the historical trajectory that led to this moment. Latvia first gained independence in 1918 after centuries of foreign rule under German, Polish, Swedish, and Russian empires. The interwar period (1918-1940) saw Latvia develop as a democratic republic until authoritarian tendencies emerged under Kārlis Ulmanis in 1934 . This hard-won independence was brutally interrupted in 1940 when the Soviet Union, pursuant to the secret protocols of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact with Nazi Germany, occupied and illegally annexed Latvia along with the other Baltic states .
The Soviet occupation was characterized by immediate terror - in the first year alone, approximately 35,000 Latvians, particularly intellectuals and political figures, were deported to Siberia and other remote parts of the USSR . The Nazi occupation (1941-1944) brought further horrors, including the murder of 65,000-75,000 Latvian Jews . When Soviet forces returned in 1944, another wave of repression followed, with at least 140,000 people deported in 1949 alone during the collectivization campaign . These traumatic experiences seared anti-Soviet sentiment into the national consciousness.
Throughout the Soviet period, Latvia maintained a distinct national identity despite Moscow's efforts at Russification. Large-scale immigration from other Soviet republics altered the demographic balance - the proportion of ethnic Latvians dropped from about 75% to just over 50% between 1940 and 1989 . The Latvian language was marginalized in public life, and the Communist Party of Latvia was dominated by Russian-speaking immigrants rather than ethnic Latvians . Yet underground resistance persisted, and many Western nations, including the United States, never recognized the Soviet annexation as legitimate .
The Gorbachev Era and the Reawakening of National Consciousness
The political reforms initiated by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in the mid-1980s - glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) - created unexpected opportunities for Baltic independence movements. As Gorbachev loosened restrictions on political expression, Latvians began openly discussing previously taboo subjects, including the crimes of the Stalin era and the illegality of the 1940 annexation .
Environmental concerns provided the initial rallying point for mass mobilization. In 1986, major demonstrations against polluting industries occurred in Riga, followed by protests in Tallinn the next spring . These ecological protests gradually took on political overtones as participants connected environmental degradation to Soviet misrule. By 1988, reformist forces within the Communist Party had gained influence, while new political organizations like the Latvian Popular Front emerged to channel growing nationalist sentiment .
The year 1988 proved transformative. The Latvian Popular Front, established in October, became the leading voice for greater autonomy and eventual independence 1. Mass gatherings, particularly song festivals that drew hundreds of thousands, demonstrated the depth of popular support for national revival . On August 23, 1989, the fiftieth anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, an extraordinary human chain of two million people stretched across all three Baltic states in the "Baltic Way" protest . This powerful visual statement captured international attention and symbolized the unity of Baltic aspirations.
The Path to Declaration: Political and Legal Maneuvering
The political landscape shifted dramatically in 1989-1990 as reformist candidates won elections and republican legislatures asserted their authority against Moscow. In July 1989, the Latvian Supreme Soviet declared the "sovereignty" of Latvian laws over Soviet legislation . This was followed in November by a declaration condemning the 1940 "military occupation" and renouncing Latvia's incorporation into the USSR .
The March 1990 elections to the Latvian Supreme Soviet proved decisive. For the first time in Soviet Latvia's history, multiple parties were allowed to participate . The Latvian Popular Front won a majority, securing 131 of 201 seats . This democratic mandate empowered the legislature to take bolder steps toward independence. Meanwhile, Lithuania had already declared full independence on March 11, 1990, provoking Soviet economic sanctions and raising tensions throughout the region .
On May 4, 1990, the newly elected Latvian Supreme Soviet (renamed the Supreme Council) adopted the Declaration "On the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia" by a vote of 138 in favor, with 1 abstention and 57 deputies (mostly representing the Russian-speaking minority) not participating in the vote . The document's legal and historical significance cannot be overstated - it did not proclaim new independence but rather declared that Latvia's pre-war independence never legally ceased to exist.
The Declaration's Key Provisions and Legal Arguments
The May 4 Declaration was a masterful legal and political document that wove together historical facts, legal principles, and democratic legitimacy to make Latvia's case for independence. Its preamble established several crucial historical points: that Latvia's 1918 independence declaration had been internationally recognized; that Soviet Russia had recognized Latvian independence in the 1920 Peace Treaty; and that the 1940 Soviet annexation resulted from military aggression and illegal elections conducted under occupation.
The declaration made several bold assertions that challenged Soviet legitimacy:
It recognized the supremacy of international law over national laws, declaring the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and subsequent Soviet occupation illegal .
It proclaimed the 1940 declaration of Latvia's accession to the Soviet Union null and void from the moment of adoption.
It restored the authority of Latvia's 1922 constitution (Satversme) and changed the country's official name back to the Republic of Latvia.
It established a transitional period until full independence could be restored with the convening of a new Saeima (parliament) .
The declaration's legal strategy was ingenious - rather than claiming to secede from the USSR (which would have required following the Soviet constitution's secession procedures), it asserted that Latvia had never legally been part of the Soviet Union in the first place. This argument drew upon the fact that many Western nations had never recognized the Soviet annexation .
Soviet Response and the Struggle for Recognition
Moscow initially responded to Latvia's declaration with a mixture of threats and negotiations. Unlike Lithuania, which had declared immediate independence, Latvia's more gradual approach - specifying a transitional period - may have spared it from immediate Soviet retaliation . However, tensions escalated dramatically in January 1991 when Soviet special forces (OMON) attacked the Latvian Interior Ministry in Riga, killing five people . This violence, coming just days after similar attacks in Vilnius that left 14 dead, galvanized Latvian resistance and drew international condemnation.
The failed August 1991 coup by communist hardliners in Moscow proved decisive. With Soviet authority collapsing, the Latvian Supreme Council declared full independence on August 21, 1991 . This time, the international community responded swiftly - Iceland was the first to recognize Latvian independence on August 22, followed by the United States and other Western nations. The Soviet Union itself recognized Latvian independence on September 6, 1991 .
The Transition to Full Independence
The period following the declaration was marked by both achievements and challenges. The first post-Soviet elections in June 1993, restricted to pre-1940 citizens and their descendants, restored the 1922 constitution fully. Key issues included managing relations with the Russian minority (about 30% of the population), establishing citizenship policies, and transitioning to a market economy.
The withdrawal of Soviet troops became a major point of contention. In 1991, over 50,000 Soviet military personnel remained stationed in Latvia . After difficult negotiations, the last Russian troops departed in 1994, though Russia maintained control of the Skrunda radar station until 1998 . Economic reforms proved painful but ultimately successful, with Latvia joining the European Union and NATO in 2004 - a remarkable transformation for a nation that had been under Soviet rule just thirteen years earlier.
Legacy and Significance
Latvia's 1990 declaration of independence stands as a landmark event in the history of national self-determination and the collapse of Soviet communism. Its legal sophistication - framing independence as restoration rather than secession - provided a model for other republics seeking to leave the USSR. The peaceful, determined resistance of the Latvian people, expressed through mass demonstrations, cultural activism, and electoral politics, demonstrated the power of civil society against authoritarian rule.
The declaration also reflected Latvia's unique historical consciousness - the understanding that the nation's statehood, though interrupted, had never been extinguished. This continuity was symbolized by the reinstatement of the 1922 constitution and the persistence of Latvian diplomatic representatives abroad throughout the Soviet period .
Today, May 4 is celebrated as a national holiday in Latvia, commemorating both the 1990 declaration and the enduring spirit of a nation that refused to accept the legitimacy of foreign domination. The events of 1990-1991 completed a historical circle that began with Latvia's first independence declaration in 1918, proving that even fifty years of Soviet occupation could not erase the Latvian people's aspiration for freedom and self-governance.
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