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Liberal Democratic Party (Lithuania)
Encyclopedia
Order and Justice formerly the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberalų Demokratų Partija, LDP), is a centre-right
national liberal
political party in Lithuania
, though it self-identifies as 'left-of-centre'. It has fifteen members of the Seimas
.
Formed as the 'Liberal Democratic Party' in 2002, the party achieved almost immediate success with the election of leader Rolandas Paksas
as President of Lithuania within its first year. Paksas's impeachment
led to the party reorganising itself as 'Order and Justice' to compete in the 2004 parliamentary election
. Since then, it has been the fourth-largest party in the Seimas, and finished third in the elections to the European Parliament
and to the presidency
.
The party sits on the centre-right, and possesses a radical
and anti-establishment
identity, and is described as both socially conservative
and 'liberal
', in line with its original identity. Its support is strongest in the north-west Samogitia
region. Its faction in the Seimas also includes the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania. The party's two MEPs sit in the Europe of Freedom and Democracy
group in the European Parliament
, with the party having previously belonged in the now-defunct AEN
.
, Rolandas Paksas
founded the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 2002, taking with him 13 of his supporters in the Seimas, making the party the fourth-largest party. Paksas finished second in the first round of the presidential election
on 22 December, with 19.7%: qualifying him for a run-off against incumbent
President Valdas Adamkus
. For the run-off, Paksas represented a youthful alternative to the ageing candidate, adopting the slogan 'Vote for Change'; despite all the parties except the LDP backing Adamkas, he won across almost all of the country, with 54.7%. The campaign was likened to the previous spring's French presidential election
, and Paksas to Jean-Marie Le Pen
for his populism
. However, unlike Le Pen, the liberal Paksas immediately announced his support for Lithuania's ongoing process of accession to the European Union
and NATO.
In June, Paksas set about fighting political corruption
that saw 700 public officials under the old administration acquire land illegally. However, this was soon overshadowed by revelations in October that Paksas gave citizenship
to, and heard requests for political favours from, Jurijus Borisovas, a Russia
n businessman that had donated $400,000 to Paksas's campaign, and that high-ranking members of Paksas's staff had connections to Russian criminal groups. Although Paksas was found not to have been influenced by the criminals, his staff had been; Paksas offered that his six close advisers named in the report resign, but calls for Paksas himself to resign mounted.
Paksas alleged that the parliamentary commission set up to investigate the claims was set up for political reasons, and refused to cooperate. In response, the four other parties initiated impeachment
proceedings. In December, the Constitutional Court
ruled that granting citizenship to Borisovas was illegal and impeachable. Despite this, Paksas remained popular with the public. On 6 April 2004, the Seimas voted to impeach him and remove him from office on three counts with 86, 86, and 89 MPs voting to impeach, with 85 required. Nonetheless, after his impeachment, he was tried in the criminal courts, and acquitted on all charges.
was scheduled to elect a replacement for Paksas. The LDP nominated Paksas, giving the people a referendum on his impeachment. Whilst his nomination was initially accepted, it was then thrown out by the Constitutional Court, leaving the LDP without a nominee in the election. In the first election
to the European Parliament
, the LDP won 6.8% of the vote, and one seat. The member of the European Parliament
from the Lithuanian Liberal Democratic party was Rolandas Pavilionis
, a former rector of Vilnius University
.
Throughout Paksas's scandal and impeachment, the Liberal Democrats presented soft opposition to the governing centre-left coalition, alongside the united Liberal and Centre Union
and Homeland Union. In the parliamentary election
in October, the LDP formed a coalition called Coalition for Rolandas Paksas 'For Order and Justice' , which was successful in winning 11 seats. However, the centre-left coalition managed to hold on to power, thanks to a failure of the centre-right parties to agree to cooperate.
In the 2007 municipal elections, although the party was disappointed with the general results, it won a plurality in Vilnius
, and formed a coalition with the Social Democratic Party
(LSDP) under mayor Juozas Imbrasas
. This is despite Law and Order members of the Seimas then supporting motions of no confidence
in several LSDP cabinet members for handling of the privatisation
of Alita.
The Order and Justice Party ran in the 2008 election
to the Seimas with a tactic of decontaminating Paksas, despite Paksas's inability to hold political office after his impeachment, and released a film
that was shown in cinemas nationwide. Aiming to greatly increase its number of seats and form the new government, the party saw its share of the vote increase only slightly, to 12.7%, and its number of seats increase by 4, to 15. The dramatic doubling of the centre-right's share of seats allowed them to form a government: including three parties, but not Order and Justice.
At the 2009 European elections
, Order and Justice won two seats, up from one in 2004, coming third. After the election, they left the disbanding Union for Europe of the Nations
, and joined the more eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Democracy
.
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
national liberal
National liberalism
National liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining nationalism with some liberal policies, especially regarding economic liberalism. The roots of it are to be found in the 19th century, when conservative liberalism was the ideology of the political classes in most European countries, then...
political party in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, though it self-identifies as 'left-of-centre'. It has fifteen members of the Seimas
Seimas
The Seimas is the unicameral Lithuanian parliament. It has 141 members that are elected for a four-year term. About half of the members of this legislative body are elected in individual constituencies , and the other half are elected by nationwide vote according to proportional representation...
.
Formed as the 'Liberal Democratic Party' in 2002, the party achieved almost immediate success with the election of leader Rolandas Paksas
Rolandas Paksas
Rolandas Paksas is a Lithuanian politician who was President of Lithuania from 2003 to 2004. He was previously Prime Minister of Lithuania in 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001, and he also served as Mayor of Vilnius from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001...
as President of Lithuania within its first year. Paksas's impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
led to the party reorganising itself as 'Order and Justice' to compete in the 2004 parliamentary election
Lithuanian parliamentary election, 2004
Parliamentary elections were held in Lithuania on 10 October 2004. They were won by the newly founded Labour Party and the ruling coalition of Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and New Union ....
. Since then, it has been the fourth-largest party in the Seimas, and finished third in the elections to the European Parliament
European Parliament election, 2009
Elections to the European Parliament were held in the 27 member states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Members of the European Parliament were elected to represent some 500 million Europeans, making these the biggest trans-national elections in history...
and to the presidency
Lithuanian presidential election, 2009
A presidential election was held in Lithuania on 17 May 2009. A run-off election would have been held on 7 June 2009 had one been necessary. European Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaitė was elected with 69 percent of the valid vote and took office on 12 July as the country's first female president.-...
.
The party sits on the centre-right, and possesses a radical
Political radicalism
The term political radicalism denotes political principles focused on altering social structures through revolutionary means and changing value systems in fundamental ways...
and anti-establishment
Anti-establishment
An anti-establishment view or belief is one which stands in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of a society. The term was first used in the modern sense in 1958, by the British magazine New Statesman to refer to its political and social agenda...
identity, and is described as both socially conservative
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
and 'liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
', in line with its original identity. Its support is strongest in the north-west Samogitia
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
region. Its faction in the Seimas also includes the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania. The party's two MEPs sit in the Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy is a Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament. Formed after the European parliamentary election in 2009, it is mostly made up of elements of the now defunct Independence/Democracy and Union for a Europe of Nations groups from the out-going...
group in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, with the party having previously belonged in the now-defunct AEN
Alliance for Europe of the Nations
The Alliance for Europe of the Nations was a pan-European political party that gathered conservative and national-conservative parties from across the continent.-History:...
.
Early years
After being defeated in the leadership election for the Liberal UnionLiberal Union of Lithuania
The Liberal Union of Lithuania was a political party in Lithuania. It had 33 of 141 members of the Seimas.In 2003 it merged with two smaller parties to form the Liberal and Centre Union.-See also:*Liberalism*Contributions to liberal theory...
, Rolandas Paksas
Rolandas Paksas
Rolandas Paksas is a Lithuanian politician who was President of Lithuania from 2003 to 2004. He was previously Prime Minister of Lithuania in 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001, and he also served as Mayor of Vilnius from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001...
founded the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 2002, taking with him 13 of his supporters in the Seimas, making the party the fourth-largest party. Paksas finished second in the first round of the presidential election
Lithuanian presidential election, 2002–2003
Presidential elections were held in Lithuania during December 2002 and January 2003. In the first round on December 22, 2002, Valdas Adamkus held a large lead over Rolandas Paksas of the Liberal democratic party. Paksas defeated Adamkus in the second round held on January 5, 2003....
on 22 December, with 19.7%: qualifying him for a run-off against incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
President Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus
Valdas Adamkus was President of Lithuania from 1998 to 2003 and again from 2004 to 2009.In Lithuania, the President's tenure lasts for five years; Adamkus' first term in office began on February 26, 1998 and ended on February 28, 2003, following his defeat by Rolandas Paksas in the next...
. For the run-off, Paksas represented a youthful alternative to the ageing candidate, adopting the slogan 'Vote for Change'; despite all the parties except the LDP backing Adamkas, he won across almost all of the country, with 54.7%. The campaign was likened to the previous spring's French presidential election
French presidential election, 2002
The 2002 French presidential election consisted of a first round election on 21 April 2002, and a runoff election between the top two candidates on 5 May 2002. This presidential contest attracted a greater than usual amount of international attention because of Le Pen's unexpected appearance in...
, and Paksas to Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than...
for his populism
Populism
Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social...
. However, unlike Le Pen, the liberal Paksas immediately announced his support for Lithuania's ongoing process of accession to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and NATO.
In June, Paksas set about fighting political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
that saw 700 public officials under the old administration acquire land illegally. However, this was soon overshadowed by revelations in October that Paksas gave citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
to, and heard requests for political favours from, Jurijus Borisovas, a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n businessman that had donated $400,000 to Paksas's campaign, and that high-ranking members of Paksas's staff had connections to Russian criminal groups. Although Paksas was found not to have been influenced by the criminals, his staff had been; Paksas offered that his six close advisers named in the report resign, but calls for Paksas himself to resign mounted.
Paksas alleged that the parliamentary commission set up to investigate the claims was set up for political reasons, and refused to cooperate. In response, the four other parties initiated impeachment
Impeachment
Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as other punishment....
proceedings. In December, the Constitutional Court
Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania
The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania is a special court established by the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania of 1992; it began the activities after the adoption of the Law on Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania on February 3, 1993...
ruled that granting citizenship to Borisovas was illegal and impeachable. Despite this, Paksas remained popular with the public. On 6 April 2004, the Seimas voted to impeach him and remove him from office on three counts with 86, 86, and 89 MPs voting to impeach, with 85 required. Nonetheless, after his impeachment, he was tried in the criminal courts, and acquitted on all charges.
Recovery
Another presidential electionLithuanian presidential election, 2004
Presidential elections were held in Lithuania in June 2004. In the first round on 13 June, the former President, Valdas Adamkus, led the former Prime Minister Kazimira Prunskienė. Adamkus won Prunskienė in the second round on 27 June....
was scheduled to elect a replacement for Paksas. The LDP nominated Paksas, giving the people a referendum on his impeachment. Whilst his nomination was initially accepted, it was then thrown out by the Constitutional Court, leaving the LDP without a nominee in the election. In the first election
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, the LDP won 6.8% of the vote, and one seat. The member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
from the Lithuanian Liberal Democratic party was Rolandas Pavilionis
Rolandas Pavilionis
Rolandas Pavilionis was a Lithuanian philosopher, politician and Member of the European Parliament for the Liberal Democratic Party; part of the Union for a Europe of Nations.-Biography:...
, a former rector of Vilnius University
Vilnius University
Vilnius University is the oldest university in the Baltic states and one of the oldest in Eastern Europe. It is also the largest university in Lithuania....
.
Throughout Paksas's scandal and impeachment, the Liberal Democrats presented soft opposition to the governing centre-left coalition, alongside the united Liberal and Centre Union
Liberal and Centre Union
The Liberal and Centre Union , abbreviated to LiCS, is a centre-right, liberal and conservative liberal political party in Lithuania. The party has thirteen seats in the Seimas, making it the fourth-largest party in the legislature....
and Homeland Union. In the parliamentary election
Lithuanian parliamentary election, 2004
Parliamentary elections were held in Lithuania on 10 October 2004. They were won by the newly founded Labour Party and the ruling coalition of Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and New Union ....
in October, the LDP formed a coalition called Coalition for Rolandas Paksas 'For Order and Justice' , which was successful in winning 11 seats. However, the centre-left coalition managed to hold on to power, thanks to a failure of the centre-right parties to agree to cooperate.
Renaming
The last congress of the party, held on 13 May 2006, declared, that the party had passed a difficult stage of its establishment successively, encouraging people of Lithuania to constantly oppose corruption and power misapplication in the country and changing the name of the party to 'Order and Justice'. The formal reason for changing the name was the fact that four different political groups used the word 'liberal' in their names. According to unofficial views of some party members, the new name mirrors the party's more conservative position than when it was founded in 2002.In the 2007 municipal elections, although the party was disappointed with the general results, it won a plurality in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
, and formed a coalition with the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Lithuania
The Social Democratic Party of Lithuania is a centre-left and social democratic political party in Lithuania. It is the oldest party in Lithuania, founded in 1896. The party's president since 2009 is Algirdas Butkevičius. The party led a minority government in the unicameral Seimas, Lithuania's...
(LSDP) under mayor Juozas Imbrasas
Juozas Imbrasas
Juozas Imbrasas is the former mayor of Vilnius, Lithuania. He is a member of the political party Order and Justice.-Controversy:...
. This is despite Law and Order members of the Seimas then supporting motions of no confidence
Motion of no confidence
A motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
in several LSDP cabinet members for handling of the privatisation
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of Alita.
The Order and Justice Party ran in the 2008 election
Lithuanian parliamentary election, 2008
A parliamentary election was held in Lithuania in two stages on 12 and 26 October 2008. A failed referendum on extending the operation of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant was held at the same time, despite the fact that Lithuania is obliged to close down Ignalina per its treaty of accession to the...
to the Seimas with a tactic of decontaminating Paksas, despite Paksas's inability to hold political office after his impeachment, and released a film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
that was shown in cinemas nationwide. Aiming to greatly increase its number of seats and form the new government, the party saw its share of the vote increase only slightly, to 12.7%, and its number of seats increase by 4, to 15. The dramatic doubling of the centre-right's share of seats allowed them to form a government: including three parties, but not Order and Justice.
At the 2009 European elections
European Parliament election, 2009 (Lithuania)
The European Parliament election of 2009 in Lithuania was the election of the delegation from Lithuania to the European Parliament in 2009. It was a part of the wider 2009 European election...
, Order and Justice won two seats, up from one in 2004, coming third. After the election, they left the disbanding Union for Europe of the Nations
Union for Europe of the Nations
Union for Europe of the Nations was a political group of the European Parliament between 1999 and 2009.-History:UEN was formed on 20 July 1999, supplanting the earlier Union for Europe. Its member parties Fianna Fáil and National Alliance were the driving forces behind the group, despite their...
, and joined the more eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy
Europe of Freedom and Democracy is a Eurosceptic political group in the European Parliament. Formed after the European parliamentary election in 2009, it is mostly made up of elements of the now defunct Independence/Democracy and Union for a Europe of Nations groups from the out-going...
.
Leaders
- Rolandas PaksasRolandas PaksasRolandas Paksas is a Lithuanian politician who was President of Lithuania from 2003 to 2004. He was previously Prime Minister of Lithuania in 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001, and he also served as Mayor of Vilnius from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001...
– the first leader of the party (2002–2003) - Valentinas Mazuronis – for the period of Rolandas Paksas' presidency (2003–2004)
- Rolandas PaksasRolandas PaksasRolandas Paksas is a Lithuanian politician who was President of Lithuania from 2003 to 2004. He was previously Prime Minister of Lithuania in 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001, and he also served as Mayor of Vilnius from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001...
– (2004–present)
Presidential elections
- 2002–3Lithuanian presidential election, 2002–2003Presidential elections were held in Lithuania during December 2002 and January 2003. In the first round on December 22, 2002, Valdas Adamkus held a large lead over Rolandas Paksas of the Liberal democratic party. Paksas defeated Adamkus in the second round held on January 5, 2003....
: Rolandas PaksasRolandas PaksasRolandas Paksas is a Lithuanian politician who was President of Lithuania from 2003 to 2004. He was previously Prime Minister of Lithuania in 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001, and he also served as Mayor of Vilnius from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001...
wins election with 54.7% of votes in run-off, after finishing 2nd, with 19.7%, in first round. - 2004Lithuanian presidential election, 2004Presidential elections were held in Lithuania in June 2004. In the first round on 13 June, the former President, Valdas Adamkus, led the former Prime Minister Kazimira Prunskienė. Adamkus won Prunskienė in the second round on 27 June....
: Did not enter - 2009Lithuanian presidential election, 2009A presidential election was held in Lithuania on 17 May 2009. A run-off election would have been held on 7 June 2009 had one been necessary. European Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaitė was elected with 69 percent of the valid vote and took office on 12 July as the country's first female president.-...
: Valentinas Mazuronis finishes 3rd, with 6.16%.
Parliamentary elections
- 2004Lithuanian parliamentary election, 2004Parliamentary elections were held in Lithuania on 10 October 2004. They were won by the newly founded Labour Party and the ruling coalition of Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and New Union ....
: 4th, with 11.4% of the vote and 11 seats (in a coalition with other minor political groups under the label For the Order and Justice /Už tvarką ir teisingumą /) - 2008Lithuanian parliamentary election, 2008A parliamentary election was held in Lithuania in two stages on 12 and 26 October 2008. A failed referendum on extending the operation of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant was held at the same time, despite the fact that Lithuania is obliged to close down Ignalina per its treaty of accession to the...
: 4th, with 12.7% of the vote and 15 seats
European Parliament elections
- 2004European Parliament election, 2004 (Lithuania)The European Parliament election of 2004 in Lithuania was the election of MEP representing Lithuania constituency for the 2004-2009 term of the European Parliament. It was part of the wider 2004 European election. The vote took place on June 13.-Results:...
: 6th, 6.8% of the vote and 1 seat (of 13). - 2009European Parliament election, 2009 (Lithuania)The European Parliament election of 2009 in Lithuania was the election of the delegation from Lithuania to the European Parliament in 2009. It was a part of the wider 2009 European election...
: 3rd, 11.9% of the vote and 2 seats (of 12).