Editing History of Latvia (section)

===Referendums===
During this time four referendums took place, all indicative of the issues facing the new state.

On July 19, 1922, Latvia signed a [[Concordat]] with the [[Holy See|Vatican]]. This was motivated by the need to better integrate the heavily Catholic Latgale in the Lutheran-dominated state. In traditionally Lutheran Riga some buildings belonging to Russian Orthodox Church were given to Catholics, and the Lutheran [[St. James's Cathedral, Riga|St. James's Cathedral]] was transferred to Catholics as their new cathedral. On September 1–2, 1923 the [[1923 Latvian church property referendum|Church property referendum]] was held in an attempt to prevent any further forcible transfer of churches and properties from one confession to another. About 200,000 or 20% of voters participated, and the referendum failed.

On June 2, 1927, the Saeima once again changed the Citizenship law. An earlier version had granted Latvian citizenship to anyone who had lived in Latvia for 20 years before August 1, 1914 (at the start of World War I). The new law shortened the period of eligibility to 6 months before August 1, 1914. This mainly aimed to allow many Latvian farming colonists, who now were fleeing Soviet Russia, to receive citizenship. However, this also meant that many Soviet Jews now could claim Latvian citizenship. On December 17–18, 1927 the [[1927 Latvian citizenship referendum|Latvian citizenship referendum]] was held to prevent the proposed changes, but it failed, as only 250,000 or 20% of voters participated.

The Concordat with the Vatican occasioned another [[1931 Latvian Riga Cathedral referendum|church-property referendum in 1931]]. When the St. James's Cathedral was given to Catholics, Latvian Lutherans lost their bishop's cathedral and were sharing the [[Riga Cathedral]] with the Baltic German congregation, which belonged to the autonomous German Lutheran confession. Anti-German sentiment was widespread and an initiative to give Riga Cathedral to Latvian Lutherans gained strength. On September 5–6, 1931 almost 400,000 voters supported this idea, but the referendum failed, as it did not gather over 50% of votes. In any case, the Saeima soon passed a law confiscating the church from the Germans and giving it to the Latvians.

On February 24–25, 1934 the [[1934 Latvian Insurance Law referendum|Insurance Law referendum]] took place, aiming to introduce a new old-age- and unemployment-benefit scheme which would be funded by taxing employers, higher-wage earners and municipalities. The referendum was initiated by Social Democrats, who managed to get over 400,000 votes for this idea, but the referendum failed.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.cvk.lv/pub/upload_file/Konference_R_Ceruzis_Tautas%20nobalsosanas%20Latvija%20starpkaru%20perioda.pdf |title= Tautas nobalsošanas Latvijā starpkaru periodā 20.gadsimta 20. – 30.gados |access-date= April 14, 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140422214720/http://cvk.lv/pub/upload_file/Konference_R_Ceruzis_Tautas%20nobalsosanas%20Latvija%20starpkaru%20perioda.pdf |archive-date=April 22, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>