Language referendum in Latvia 2012

Referendum 2012

(in %)

 %

80

70

60

50

40

30th

20th

10

0

25.0

75.0

Yes

No

Municipalities that voted for (green) and against (red):

Yes 100.0–90.0% 89.9–80.0% 79.9–70.0% 69.9–60.0% 59.9–50.0%     

No 50.0–59.9% 60.0–69.9% 70.0–79.9% 80.0–89.9% 90.0–100.0%     

A referendum on the official language of Latvia ( tautas nobalsošana par likumprojektu “Grozījumi Latvijas Republikas Satversmē” ) was held on February 18, 2012. The proposed amendments to paragraphs 4, 18, 21, 101 and 104 of the constitution all had the same content: the recognition of Russian as the second official language alongside Latvian . The additions were rejected with a turnout of 70% of all voters with 75% no votes, making Latvian the only official language of the country.

The referendum also had an impact on the whole of Europe, a valid official language of a member country would automatically be another official language of the EU.

background

According to the 2000 census, Russian was the mother tongue of 37.5% and the second language of 43.7% of Latvia's resident population. A law from 2000 defines Russian as a "foreign language". To obtain Latvian citizenship, a language test in Latvian is required. This also applies to the large, predominantly native Russian minority. As a result, there are around 290,000 (March 2011 - 14.1% of all residents) so - called non - citizens in the country . They are predominantly Russian-speaking people who have neither Latvian nor any other citizenship. This group is z. B. also not entitled to vote and was therefore not allowed to participate in the referendum. After Latvia's independence in 1991, only those residents who lived in the country before 1940 (i.e. before the Soviet occupation of the country) and their descendants were automatically granted Latvian citizenship. All others had to prove sufficient knowledge of the Latvian language, the culture and the history of the country in a naturalization test in order to obtain citizenship. These regulations are a constant source of conflict with neighboring Russia .

Results

Source:	Votes cast	% of the votes cast	% of the valid votes cast	% of the total number of voters
Yes	273 347	24.88%	24.96%	17.71%
No	821 722	74.80%	75.04%
Total valid votes	1 095 069	99.68%	100.00%
Invalid	3,524	0.32%
Total votes cast	1,098,593	100.00%
Eligible voters	1,543,786
voter turnout	70.73%

swell

1. ↑ ^{a b} Result of the 2012 referendum Central Electoral Commission (Latvian)
2. ↑ Latvians say “no” in Russian language vote. euronews.net, February 19, 2012.
3. ↑ Radim Sochorek: Russian did not become a new EU official language. 19th February 2012.
4. ^ Population Census 2011 - Key Indicators
5. ↑ http://www.neues-deutschland.de/artikel/218868.mehr-als-ein-sprachstreit-in-lettland.html Neues Deutschland, s. "Lexicon" section.