Civil society in Latvia demonstrates resilience in the face of challenges 

Since 2024, the Civic Alliance - Latvia (CAL) has been monitoring the civic space, with the results compiled in the report “Civic Space Meter” (“Līmeņrādis”). The 2025 report has also been published, showing that although the past year was full of challenges, civil society in Latvia has overall maintained stability and resilience. 

Overall, the 2025 Civic Space Meter report shows that civil society in Latvia remains stable and resilient, even in a challenging environment. The civic space score slightly increased to 4 points from 3.8 in 2024, reflecting steady rather than dramatic change, with some positive developments. 

Key strengths include a growing number of civil society organizations, improved dialogue with public institutions, and increasing public engagement in civic actions such as protests and community initiatives. Public perception is also becoming more positive, with greater recognition of the role NGOs play in society. 

However, the report also highlights ongoing structural challenges. Organizations continue to struggle with limited and unstable funding, which restricts long-term planning and development. The digital environment is increasingly shaped by disinformation, hate speech, and polarization, which affects both public trust and freedom of expression. Administrative barriers and unequal access to decision-making—especially outside major cities—also remain concerns. 

The main takeaway is that Latvia’s civil society is moving in a positive direction, but its long-term strength depends on addressing these persistent obstacles. Stable funding, stronger participation in policymaking, and improved cooperation between NGOs and public institutions are seen as key priorities for sustaining this progress. 

The final report for 2025 is available here. 

The final report for 2024 is available here. 

The “Civic Space Meter” is an annual monitoring tool implemented by the Civic Alliance - Latvia (CAL) since 2024. It is based on international standards and evaluates the civic space across seven key areas: freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, access to funding, the right to participate in decision-making, the resilience and capacity of civil society organizations, and the public image of civil society. 

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