Latvia: EU referendum, September 2003

In a referendum held on 20 September 2003, Latvia became the final Acceding State to vote 'yes' to EU membership. 72.53% of the country's 2.5 million people voted; 67% in favour of joining the EU and 32.3% against. Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga had forecast that more than 60% of her people would support EU membership, despite her country's reputation as the most Euro-sceptic of the 10 Acceding States.

During Spring and Summer of 2003, the citizens of eight other countries also voted to join the Union (the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia). Cyprus, which is scheduled to join the EU on 1 May 2004 along with the other nine Acceding States, is not holding a referendum, having cancelled one after the failure of talks to reunite the Greek and Turkish parts of the island.

As in Estonia, which held its EU referendum on 15 September, Latvia's Euro-sceptics argued that the country's economy would suffer if it became part of the European Union, and raised the issue of sovereignty, but to no avail. Pro-Europe campaigners warned that their country would be isolated if the opportunity to join the EU was not taken. Estonia's 'yes' vote the week before was also thought to have influenced Latvia, where opinion polls in August showed less than 50% of people intending to support EU membership.

According to the BBC, Einars Repse, Latvia's Prime Minister, called the result one of the three most important decisions in his country's history. Welcoming the decision, the President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Roger Briesch, said it 'demonstrates the readiness of Latvia to embark upon its future in the EU and to assume its responsibilities as an EU Member State.' European Commission President Romano Prodi spoke of being 'happy and proud that Latvian citizens decided to join the European Union as well. They will bring their own experience, talents and good will into our European family.'

Further information within European Sources Online

European Sources Online: Topic Guides
	Enlargement of the European Union
European Sources Online: In Focus
	10.03.03:	Malta says 'yes' to EU, March 2003
	25.03.03:	Slovenes vote to join the EU and NATO, March 2003
	14.04.03:	Hungary and Malta both say 'yes' to EU, but Poland vetoes EEA deal, April 2003
	12.05.03:	Lithuanians vote to join EU, May 2003
	19.05.03:	Slovak Republic votes overwhelmingly to join the EU, May 2003
	09.06.03:	Poles vote on EU membership, June 2003
	16.06.03:	Czechs also say 'yes' to Europe, June 2003
	28.09.03:	Enlargement of the European Union: The referendums during 2003 in the applicant countries, September 2003
	28.09.03:	Estonia: EU referendum, September 2003
European Sources Online: Financial Times
	21.09.03:	Latvian 'yes' vote paves way for joining EU

Further information can be seen in these external links:
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EU Institutions

DG Press and Communication
	Press Releases:
		22.09.03:	Roger Briesch welcomes the outcome of the Estonian and Latvian referenda on EU accession [CES/03/57]
DG Enlargement
	Enlargement Weekly:
		... and Latvia makes it ten
		Latvia watches its neighbour

News organisations

BBC News Online
		20.09.03:	Latvia wrestles with EU dream
		21.09.03:	Latvia votes Yes to EU entry

Eric Davies
Researcher
Compiled: 29 September 2003

Background and reporting on the week's main stories in the European Union and the wider Europe.