Latvian Exile Government Proposals

Abstract

The last government of the independent Republic of Latvia did not empower formation of a government-in-exile and none was ever established during the entire period that Latvia was under foreign occupation. The only state institution that survived legally intact, though greatly diminished in size and scope was the Foreign Service of the Republic of Latvia, comprising diplomats, consular staff and honorary consuls. They were sceptical and dismissive of various discussions by exile political activists on the subject of an entity akin to a government-in-exile. Such proposals focussed on legitimating a single individual to lead the lobbying for restoration of Latvian independence. Argumentation was largely emotional since the question was unclear as to whether the Constitution of the Republic of Latvian was in force from 1934 onwards. An Estonian Government-in-exile was established on the basis of solid constitutional arguments. Without gaining recognition, it was sustained from the early 1950s until 1991. It is not evident that the Estonian exile government contributed to restoration of independence. It was the United States, which through the non-recognition policy influenced Soviet behaviour ultimately compelling the latter to free the Baltic states.