Since regaining independence, Latvia – like its Baltic neighbours Lithuania and Estonia – has actively sought to dismantle its Soviet legacy and counter the influence of Russia, the dominant power within the former Soviet Union. These efforts took on renewed urgency after Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and became especially intense following the full-scale invasion in 2022. Shaped by its historical experience of Soviet occupation, Latvia has enacted reforms to assert its sovereignty, strengthen ties with European allies, and transform its sociopolitical and physical terrain – a process driven by its quest for national unity, European integration, and regional security.
National identity and sociopolitical shifts
Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has spurred Latvia to strengthen its national identity and address sociopolitical challenges. A central aspect of this shift has been the government’s intensified promotion of the Latvian language as a unifying symbol. On the 5th of April, 2023, the Saeima (Latvian Parliament) approved amendments to the Immigration Law, extending the deadline for Russian citizens residing in Latvia to pass a Latvian language proficiency exam, requiring them to demonstrate basic knowledge to renew their residence permits. Latvia’s Constitutional Court upheld this mandate on the 15th of February, 2024.
In addition, Latvia has also implemented substantial changes in its education system to further promote the Latvian language and foster a unified national identity. On the 29th of September, 2022, the Saeima passed amendments to the Education Law and the General Education Law, establishing a three-year transition to Latvian-only instruction in schools and kindergartens. As of the 1st of September, 2023, all pre-school education is conducted exclusively in Latvian, and the transition has been implemented in primary schools with Latvian-only instruction for grades 1, 4, and 7. On the 1st of September, 2024, this shift extended to grades 2, 5, and 8. By the 1st of September 2025, it will include grades 3, 6, and 9, completing the move to an entirely Latvian-language primary education system. These recent reforms expand on the transition already completed in high schools, where instruction moved entirely to Latvian by the 2021/2022 academic year.
The unified school model, which mandates Latvian as the sole language of instruction across all educational levels, addresses concerns that previous minority-language education did not sufficiently ensure proficiency in Latvian. At the same time, it preserves the option for minority students to learn their heritage language and cultural history through extracurricular programmes, with support from both the state and local municipalities. This approach balances national cohesion with cultural diversity, equipping all students with the linguistic skills to participate fully in Latvia’s social, cultural, and economic life.
Security and defence reforms
Russia’s actions have catalysed significant enhancements to Latvia’s security and defence capabilities, with a central focus on increasing defence spending. The Saeima approved the 2023 state budget on 9 March, allocating 2.25% of GDP to defence. For 2024, spending rose to 2.4% of GDP, with further planned increases reaching 3.5% in 2025 and 3.7% by 2026, making Latvia one of NATO’s top spenders in the defence-to-GDP ratio.
The increased defence budget prioritises accelerating three key programmes: coastal defence, artillery systems, and medium-range air defence. In line with these priorities, Defence Minister Ināra Mūrniece announced in February 2023 plans to procure advanced weaponry, including Naval Strike Missile anti-ship systems and six M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS). Latvia has also reinforced its collaboration with NATO allies. Since 2017, the country has hosted a Canadian-led multinational Battle Group as part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP), underscoring its commitment to collective defence. On the 3rd of July, 2024, NATO formally launched its first Multinational Brigade in the Baltics, upgrading the eFP Battle Group in Latvia to brigade level, aiming for full combat readiness by 2026.
A significant development in Latvia’s defence policy has been the reinstatement of conscription through the State Defence Service Law, adopted by the Saeima in its third reading on the 5th of April, 2023. This law reintroduces compulsory military service (previously abolished in 2006). All Latvian male nationals aged 18–24 are subject to the draft, with service beginning within 12 months of turning 18 or upon completing secondary education. The law also allows women aged 18–27 to volunteer for the service. The first draft began on the 1st of July, 2023, with voluntary enlistment, while mandatory service commenced on the 1st of January, 2024.
Transformation of public spaces
Latvia has taken decisive steps to redefine its public spaces by removing Soviet-era monuments, widely seen as symbols of past occupation. On the 16th of June, 2022, the Saeima passed a law mandating the dismantling of sites glorifying the Soviet and Nazi regimes. Although no Nazi monuments had been identified at the time the law was passed, this provision was deliberately included to underscore Latvia’s unequivocal condemnation of both regimes.
Municipalities went beyond the government’s original mandate to dismantle 69 Soviet monuments, with the National Heritage Board estimating that the final count could be twice as high. In November 2022, the municipality of Krāslava dismantled the only Nazi monument found in Latvia (a memorial to Nazi general Otto Lancelle), which was viewed as glorifying militarism despite having been put in place by his relatives at the site of his death.
The law specifically targeted sites like the complex of Soviet monuments built in 1985 in Riga’s Uzvaras parks (Victory Park), which originally received its name in 1923 to honour the Latvian army’s victory over Pavel Bermont-Avalov’s West Russian Volunteer Army in November 1919 – a decisive battle in Latvia’s struggle for independence following the end of the First World War. However, during the Soviet era, the park was repurposed to commemorate the Red Army’s victory over Nazi Germany in the Second World War, becoming an offensive reminder for Latvians of the Soviet Union’s oppressive occupation.
The central object of the complex, the 79-metre-high obelisk, was toppled on the 25th of August, 2022, marking the completion of the initial dismantling phase, which included the removal of all statues, the obelisk, and the pedestal. In the subsequent phase, the obelisk debris was crushed, and the remaining surface structures were dismantled, marking a definitive departure from Latvia’s Soviet past. The law also allows fragments of dismantled monuments with historical value to be preserved in the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia. However, not a single fragment was retained from the complex in Victory Park.
With every trace of the monuments erased, the municipality of Riga launched a significant urban renewal project to revitalise this space. The park (which marked its 100th anniversary in 2023) has been extensively redeveloped to create a vibrant and inclusive community space. The first phase, completed in November 2023, transformed nine hectares with a 0.5-hectare pond connected by a bridge and a kilometre-long skiing and rollerblading track, avoiding pedestrian paths with strategically placed bridges and tunnels. The area now includes a scenic skateboarding track, benches, bike racks, waste bins, and modern lighting. Amenities for children, like trampolines, swings, and a sandpit, have been added, while adults can enjoy table tennis, checkers, and chess tables. The landscaping efforts included planting over 200 trees, nearly 4,000 shrubs, and 20,000 bulb flowers.
In early 2024, the municipality of Riga held a survey to gather public input for the second phase of the park’s redevelopment project. Residents’ top suggestions included a café with a terrace, accessible exercise equipment, and enhanced greenery. These ideas were formally incorporated into the park’s design and presented in August 2024 by Riga’s vice-mayor, Edvards Ratnieks.
At the presentation, Ratnieks highlighted the new four-hectare active recreation area, which will feature multi-functional sports fields with spectator seating, a universally accessible gym, and a pump track suited for various user groups, including children, beginners, wheelchair users, and seniors. The design includes a children’s water play area with interactive features, a dedicated café, and support facilities for park staff. Construction for this phase has already begun and will proceed in clear stages to allow concurrent water and sewage infrastructure upgrades.
Economic resilience and energy independence
Latvia’s approach to economic resilience includes comprehensive measures to reduce reliance on Russian energy sources. In April 2022, the Latvian government announced its decision to cease Russian natural gas imports. This plan was formalised on the 14th of July, 2022, when the Saeima passed amendments to the Energy Law, officially banning Russian natural gas imports from the 1st of January, 2023. A key element in this strategy has been Latvia’s increased reliance on the Klaipėda liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Lithuania, where Latvijas Gāze, Latvia’s national gas company, signed agreements in May 2022 to secure LNG imports.
Alongside these import adjustments, Latvia has invested heavily in renewable energy projects to build a sustainable and independent energy framework. A notable example is the inauguration of the Tārgale Wind Park’s energy storage facility on the 1st of November, 2024, the first of its kind in Latvia, which integrates wind energy generation with advanced storage systems.
Another crucial component of Latvia’s energy independence strategy is synchronising its electricity grid with the continental European network. In June 2024, Latvia and its Baltic neighbours announced plans to leave the shared power grid with Russia and Belarus by February 2025. On the 9th of February at 14.05, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania successfully synchronised their electricity systems with the Continental Europe Synchronous Area.
Latvia’s path forward
The aforementioned reforms do not represent a coincidental alignment with the West in opposition to Russia. Rather, they express a deliberate assertion of Latvia’s values and sovereignty – a stance shaped by a long history under the destructive influence of Russian imperialism. Aligning with the West is not a break with tradition but a continuation of Latvia’s enduring pursuit of security, freedom, and prosperity. Taken together, these measures reflect a broader strategic vision: cultivating an autonomous national identity while forging alliances that reinforce regional stability.
This article was previously published in the 2025 January Issue.