ISSUE: 1/2022

  • Volume 26
  • Number 1
  • 2022

Subscribe NEWSLETTER

Studia Europejskie –
Studies in European Affairs

ISSN: 1428-149X
e-ISSN: 2719-3780

Ccbync License

License

Articles published in the journal are under a Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial – No Derivatives 4.0 International License

Bringing the Latvian Youth Back to Political Participation

Abstract

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, and in the first democratic national elections of 1993, voter turnout in Latvia was 89.9 per cent. However, by the late 90s, participation levels had signifi cantly decreased. Scholars have pointed out that this decrease was a result of people gradually learning the limits of democratic governance while tackling the feeling of political powerlessness and decreasing trust in politicians and political institutions – all of which have had negative effects on civil society and democratic ideals. Youths in particular were affected by the sum of all this, seeing, first-hand, income inequality, economic stagnation, corruption, and personal unemployment (or that of their parents). All this, combined with a lack of democratic traditions, has resulted in scepticism and political apathy. This paper shows that, since 2009, Latvia has seen a decrease in all forms of political participation, including a share of its youths who run as MP candidates in elections. The paper aims to clarify what would help bring Latvian youths back into politics.

References

Allaste, A. and Saari, K. (2019) “Social Media and Participation in Different Socio-political Contexts: Cases of Estonia and Finland”, YOUNG. No. 28(2), DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1103308819828879.

Cvk.lv. (1993) 5. Saeimas vēlēšanas Centrālā vēlēšanu komisija. Available at: https://www.cvk.lv/lv/velesanas/saeimas-velesanas/5-saeimas-velesanas (Access 10.10.2021).

Čakse, I. (2018) Pilsoniski izglītoti iedzīvotāji ir valsts drošības jautājums – LV portāls. Available at: https://lvportals.lv/viedokli/297506-pilsoniski-izglitoti-iedzivotaji-ir-valsts-drosibas-jautajums-2018 (Access 07.07.2021).

Dahl, R. (1967) A preface to democratic theory Robert A. Dahl. 50th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Dalton, Russell J. and Klingemann, H.D. (2009) The Oxford handbook of political behavior. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Daugulis, M., et al. (2022) The culture of trust: perception of democracy, Europeaness and civil society in politically active youth in Latvia in The 26th Nordic Intercultural Communication (NIC) Conference.

Eglītis, J. (2021) Pētījums: 13. Saeimai iedzīvotāji uzticas ievērojami vairāk nekā Zatlera atlaistajai. Available at: https://zinas.tv3.lv/latvija/politika/petijums-13-saeimai-iedzivotaji-uzticas-ieverojami-vairak-nekazatlera-atlaistajai/ (Access 16.08.2021).

Ījabs, I. (2021) Politiskā līdzdalība, vēlēšanu sistēma Latvijā. Enciklopedija.lv. Available at: https://enciklopedija.lv/skirklis/25486-politisk%C4%81-
l%C4%ABdzdal%C4%ABba,-v%C4%93l%C4%93%C5%A1anusist%C4%93ma-Latvij%C4%81 (Access 22.09.2021).

Karlsone, L. (2017) Latvijā vismazāk iedzīvotāju Eiropā iesaistās politiskajās partijās. Available at: https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/latvija/latvijavismazak-iedzivotaju-eiropa-iesaistas-politiskajas-partijas.a246474/ (Access 23.08.2021).

Korpuss.lv. (2021) Saeima AiLab. Available at: http://www.korpuss.lv/id/Saeima (Access 14.11.2021).

LeDuc, L.N., Richard, G. and Norris, P. (2009) Comparing Democracies. 4th ed. London: Sage Publications.

LIKUMI.LV. (1998) Izglītības likums. Available at: https://likumi.lv/doc.php?id=50759 (Access 02.09.2021).

LIKUMI.LV. (2013) Noteikumi par valsts vispārējās vidējās izglītības standartu un vispārējās vidējās izglītības programmu paraugiem. Available at: https://likumi.lv/ta/id/309597 (Access 04.11.2021).

LIKUMI.LV. (2016) Par Jaunatnes politikas īstenošanas plānu 2016.–2020.gadam. Available at: https://likumi.lv/ta/id/281546-par-jaunatnespolitikas-
istenosanas-planu-2016-2020-gadam (Access 12.10.2021).

Izm.gov.lv. (2020) Available at: https://www.izm.gov.lv/lv/media/6292/ download (Access 14.08.2021). Izm.gov.lv. (2021) Available at: https://www.izm.gov.lv/lv/media/12039/download (Access 15.10.2021).

Lvportals.lv. (2019) Augsta līmeņa ekspertu konferencē spriedīs par politisko kultūru Latvijā un valsts ilgtspēju – LV portāls. Available at: https://lvportals.lv/dienaskartiba/311307-augsta-limena-ekspertukonference-spriedis-par-politisko-kulturu-latvija-un-valsts-ilgtspeju-2019 (Access 16.10.2021).

Lvportals.lv. (2020) Available at: https://lvportals.lv/wwwraksti/TEMAS/FAILI/EIROBAROMETRS_SAB_DOMA_ZIEMA_2020_2021_NACIONALAIS_ZINOJUMS_LATVIJA.PDF (Access 16.11.2021).

Manabalss.lv. (2021) ManaBalss.lv – līdzdalības platforma. Available at: https://manabalss.lv/pages/paveiktais (Access 01.08.2021).

Pkc.gov.lv. (2021) Available at: https://pkc.gov.lv/sites/default/files/inlinefiles/Latvija_2030_6.pdf (Access 24.10.2021).

Rahn, W. and Transue, J. (1998) “Social Trust and Value Change: The Decline of Social Capital in American Youth, 1976–1995”, Political
Psychology. No. 19(3). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/0162-895X.00117

Rīga, D., et al. (2021) 05.11.2021 Notikumu kalendārs Lursoft. Available at: https://www.lursoft.lv/kalendars/2021/11/05 (Access 14.09.2021).

Visc.gov.lv. (2013) Standarti un vadlīnijas. Available at: https://www.visc.gov.lv/lv/standarti-un-vadlinijas (Access 30.09.2021).

Language: English

Pages: 83-99

How to Cite:

Harvard

Graudina, E. (2022) "Bringing the Latvian Youth Back to Political Participation". Studia Europejskie – Studies in European Affairs, 1/2022, pp. 83-99. DOI: 10.33067/SE.1.2022.5

APA
Chicago