Lithuanian presidential election, 1993
Encyclopedia
Presidential elections were held in Lithuania
on 14 February 1993. This was the first presidential election under the new Constitution of Lithuania
of October 1992 and since the declaration of independence in March 1990
. Algirdas Brazauskas
, the former first secretary of the Communist Party of Lithuania
and the then-current leader of the Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania
(DLPL), won with over 60% of the vote. The runner up was Stasys Lozoraitis
, an independent candidate endorsed by the Sąjūdis
movement and other political parties.
, under Brazauskas' leadership, won 73 out of 141 seats in the Seimas
(the parliament) in the parliamentary election of October 1992
. Based on the earlier success, Brazauskas, who as Speaker of the Seimas was also acting president, was considered a favorite in the presidential election. Vytautas Landsbergis
, leader of the pro-independence Sąjūdis
movement, withdrew his candidacy in support of Stasys Lozoraitis
. Lozoraitis was a Lithuanian diplomat, who spent almost all his life in Italy and the United States representing the interwar independent Lithuania. Because of the Iron Curtain
, his work was virtually unknown in Lithuania. No other candidates came forward as other parties, except for the Polish minority in Lithuania
, declared their support to Lozoraitis as they became alarmed by the dominance of Brazauskas and his party.
The campaign time was set for three weeks. Lozoraitis brought grace and sophistication to the campaign, stressing his experience in complex foreign affairs. Brazauskas, operating in a familiar environment, was better prepared to address domestic affairs and promised to focus on smoother transition from planned economy
to free market
. During the campaign, Lozoraitis was labeled as a foreigner, who did not understand current situation in Lithuania and was largely dependent on the unpopular Sąjūdis. Valdas Adamkus
, a Lithuanian American who won the presidential election in 1998
, assisted Lozoraitis in his campaign.
Brazauskas gained majority of the votes everywhere, except in Kaunas
, and did particularly well in areas inhabited by Russian and Polish minorities. Because he gained more than 50% of the votes in the first round, no second round was needed. The inauguration
ceremony took place on February 25, 1993. In May 1993, just a few months after the election, Brazauskas recalled Lozoraitis as ambassador to the U.S. despite criticism of politicizing the issue.
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...
on 14 February 1993. This was the first presidential election under the new Constitution of Lithuania
Constitution of Lithuania
The Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania defines the legal foundation for all laws passed in the Republic of Lithuania. It was approved in a referendum on October 25, 1992.-History:...
of October 1992 and since the declaration of independence in March 1990
Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania
The Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania or Act of March 11 was an independence declaration by the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted on March 11, 1990...
. Algirdas Brazauskas
Algirdas Brazauskas
Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas was the first President of a newly independent post-Soviet Union Lithuania from 1993 to 1998 and Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006....
, the former first secretary of the Communist Party of Lithuania
Communist Party of Lithuania
The Communist Party of Lithuania was a communist party in Lithuania, established in early October 1918. The party was banned in December 1926.-History:...
and the then-current leader of the Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania
Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania
Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania was a social democratic political party in Lithuania, that emerged out of the Lithuanian section of the CPSU in December 1989 LDDP was led by Algirdas Brazauskas, the first president of independent Lithuania. Because Brazauskas was elected as the first...
(DLPL), won with over 60% of the vote. The runner up was Stasys Lozoraitis
Stasys Lozoraitis (junior)
Stasys Lozoraitis was a Lithuanian diplomat. He was a son of Stasys Lozoraitis and brother of Kazys Lozoraitis....
, an independent candidate endorsed by the Sąjūdis
Sajudis
Sąjūdis initially known as the Reform Movement of Lithuania, is the political organization which led the struggle for Lithuanian independence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was established on June 3, 1988 and was led by Vytautas Landsbergis...
movement and other political parties.
Campaign and results
The Democratic Labour Party of LithuaniaDemocratic Labour Party of Lithuania
Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania was a social democratic political party in Lithuania, that emerged out of the Lithuanian section of the CPSU in December 1989 LDDP was led by Algirdas Brazauskas, the first president of independent Lithuania. Because Brazauskas was elected as the first...
, under Brazauskas' leadership, won 73 out of 141 seats in 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...
(the parliament) in the parliamentary election of October 1992
Lithuanian parliamentary election, 1992
A parliamentary election was held in Lithuania in two stages on 25 October and 15 November 1992. This first round of this parliamentary election was held simultaneously with a referendum on the adoption of the 1992 Constitution of Lithuania. The members of the new Seimas would replace the Supreme...
. Based on the earlier success, Brazauskas, who as Speaker of the Seimas was also acting president, was considered a favorite in the presidential election. Vytautas Landsbergis
Vytautas Landsbergis
Professor Vytautas Landsbergis is a Lithuanian conservative politician and Member of the European Parliament. He was the first head of state of Lithuania after its independence declaration from the Soviet Union, and served as the Head of the Lithuanian Parliament Seimas...
, leader of the pro-independence Sąjūdis
Sajudis
Sąjūdis initially known as the Reform Movement of Lithuania, is the political organization which led the struggle for Lithuanian independence in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was established on June 3, 1988 and was led by Vytautas Landsbergis...
movement, withdrew his candidacy in support of Stasys Lozoraitis
Stasys Lozoraitis (junior)
Stasys Lozoraitis was a Lithuanian diplomat. He was a son of Stasys Lozoraitis and brother of Kazys Lozoraitis....
. Lozoraitis was a Lithuanian diplomat, who spent almost all his life in Italy and the United States representing the interwar independent Lithuania. Because of the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
, his work was virtually unknown in Lithuania. No other candidates came forward as other parties, except for the Polish minority in Lithuania
Polish minority in Lithuania
The Polish minority in Lithuania numbered 234,989 persons, according to the Lithuanian census of 2001, or 6.74% of the total population of Lithuania. It is the largest ethnic minority in the country and the second largest Polish diaspora group among the post-Soviet states...
, declared their support to Lozoraitis as they became alarmed by the dominance of Brazauskas and his party.
The campaign time was set for three weeks. Lozoraitis brought grace and sophistication to the campaign, stressing his experience in complex foreign affairs. Brazauskas, operating in a familiar environment, was better prepared to address domestic affairs and promised to focus on smoother transition from planned economy
Planned economy
A planned economy is an economic system in which decisions regarding production and investment are embodied in a plan formulated by a central authority, usually by a government agency...
to free market
Free market
A free market is a competitive market where prices are determined by supply and demand. However, the term is also commonly used for markets in which economic intervention and regulation by the state is limited to tax collection, and enforcement of private ownership and contracts...
. During the campaign, Lozoraitis was labeled as a foreigner, who did not understand current situation in Lithuania and was largely dependent on the unpopular Sąjūdis. 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...
, a Lithuanian American who won the presidential election in 1998
Lithuanian presidential election, 1997–1998
Presidential elections were held in Lithuania in December 1997 and January 1998. In the first round on 21 December, the independent candidate Artūras Paulauskas led the former US civil servant Valdas Adamkus. However, in the second round on 4 January 1998, Adamkus led Paulaskas and won a majority...
, assisted Lozoraitis in his campaign.
Brazauskas gained majority of the votes everywhere, except in Kaunas
Kaunas
Kaunas is the second-largest city in Lithuania and has historically been a leading centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaunas was the biggest city and the center of a powiat in Trakai Voivodeship of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since 1413. During Russian Empire occupation...
, and did particularly well in areas inhabited by Russian and Polish minorities. Because he gained more than 50% of the votes in the first round, no second round was needed. The inauguration
Inauguration
An inauguration is a formal ceremony to mark the beginning of a leader's term of office. An example is the ceremony in which the President of the United States officially takes the oath of office....
ceremony took place on February 25, 1993. In May 1993, just a few months after the election, Brazauskas recalled Lozoraitis as ambassador to the U.S. despite criticism of politicizing the issue.