Citizenship and State Continuity: The Example of Latvia

This contribution reviews the practical expression of the principle of continuity of citizenship in the context of the principle of state continuity with examples from the practice of Latvia. The continuity of citizenship is a consequence of state continuity. In the case of Latvia, the international community has recognized its claim regarding state continuity. Despite fifty years of occupation under the Soviet yoke, Latvia has retained its identity and status as an international legal person—the same state that was founded on November 18, 1918. It follows that citizenship of Latvia, as established by the August 23, 1919 Law on Citizenship, has likewise existed without interruption. After regaining independence, Latvia did not ascertain its body of citizens de novo. Rather, it legally established the continued existence of its body of citizens, taking into account the August 23, 1919 Law on Citizenship and the principle of ius sanguinis. This contribution considers the existence of Latvian citizenship during the Soviet occupation of the state by discussing the actions taken by the Latvian diplomatic and consular corps abroad to preserve the body of Latvian citizens, and then evaluating them from a legal standpoint.