Civil Society Participation in Advocating Interests on EU Legislation: The Case of Latvia. (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rūse, Ilze
• Other Names: Sierp Aline guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: East European politics and societies. Volume 30:Number 1(2016)
• Page Start: 214
• Page End: 231
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: non-governmental -- lobbying -- European Union -- Latvia; Europe, Eastern -- Politics and government -- 1945-1989 -- Periodicals; Europe, Eastern -- Politics and government -- 1989- -- Periodicals; Europe, Eastern -- Social conditions -- Periodicals; 947.0005
• DOI: 10.1177/0888325415581880
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0888-3254

Abstract

The article analyzes the activity of non-governmental actors in Latvia in advocating their interests on national and European Union legislative proposals. The findings draw on primary data gained from 122 responses from interest organizations in Latvia in an online survey. Despite the large number of societal actors (thirteen thousand registered organizations), the interest group population in Latvia consists of small and financially underequipped NGOs. Their lobbying activities are characterized by predominantly influencing domestic authorities, that is, national route strategies, although there is some variation across the types of interest groups.