Latvian and Estonian Political Elite's "(De)germentization": The Prospects of Russian-speaking Minority

Despite certain similarity between Estonia and Latvia, inter-ethnic relations in these two countries develop in significantly diverging directions. This difference is caused both by intrinsic historic reasons and conscious choices of the political leadership. One of the major aspects of inter-ethnic relations for these two countries is the issue of integration of representatives from the Russian-speaking minorities into national elites. The article, building upon sociological studies, provides comparative analysis of national policies and processes of elite formation in Estonia and Latvia.