Latvia - Leadership

Vike-Freiberga is the first woman to be elected president in any of the former Soviet republics. As a professor at a French-speaking university, she knows the challenges faced by linguistic minorities. Furthermore, her desire to maintain close ties to Latvia and Latvians during the Soviet era, and her criticism of the authoritarian tendencies of some emigre Latvians, resulted in her being labeled a leftist by conservative emigres. She seems prepared to tackle the challenges of being a Westerner and a woman leading a post-Soviet society in which women are often treated patronizingly.

Two major issues demanded her immediate attention. First, the Saeima overwhelmingly approved a new language law, which Western and Russian leaders criticized for the restrictions it placed on the use of languages other than Latvian in business affairs. By making Latvian the official state language, Vike-Freiberga hopes to seek a way to improve unity in business and state institutions within the country. Criticism led the Saeima to loosen some restrictions; however, as of 2003, Latvian remains the official language of state. Continuing criticism from Russia and the West has been balanced by EU support for the nation's right to choose their own official language. Vike-Freiberga, a noted linguist who already speaks five languages fluently, has acknowledged the upset and concerns of the Russian population by studying Russian.