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New Union (Socialliberals)
Encyclopedia
The New Union , abbreviated to NS, was a centre-left
, social
liberal party in Lithuania
. The NS is member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
and is an observer at Liberal International
. It was founded in 1998 and is led by Artūras Paulauskas
.
Its policy was based on social liberalism
: the principal values of which are personal freedom, social solidarity, welfare of people and justice.
In 2000 it formed a coalition government with the Liberal Union
, and in 2001 a new coalition with the Social Democrats
and later on in 2004 a coalition with the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania
and the Labour Party
which lasted until 2008.
Its candidate Vilija Blinkevičiūtė won 16.6% of the votes in the 2004 presidential election
. At that year's parliamentary election
, the party ran in alliance with the Social Democratic Party
under the label 'Coalition of Algirdas Brazauskas
and Artūras Paulauskas
: Working for Lithuania'. The list won 31 seats out of 141, of which the New Union won 11.
At the 2008 parliamentary election
, the party lost heavily, winning only 1 seat in the Seimas
and only 3.64% of the national vote. Due to the Labour Party
(DP) also losing heavily, the coalition between the NS, DP, and Social Democratic Party
collapsed and was replaced by a centre-right
coalition under Andrius Kubilius
, leaving the New Union in opposition.
The party's one member in the Seimas, Valerijus Simulik, sat with the Social Democratic Party
. In 2011, the party merged with the Labour Party. A minority faction switched to the Liberal and Centre Union
(LiCS).
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
, social
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
liberal 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...
. The NS is member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party is a European political party mainly active in the European Union, composed of 56 national-level liberal and liberal-democratic parties from across Europe...
and is an observer at Liberal International
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
. It was founded in 1998 and is led by Artūras Paulauskas
Arturas Paulauskas
Artūras Paulauskas is a Lithuanian politician. He was the Speaker of Seimas, the parliament of Lithuania, from 2000 to 2006, and he served as Acting President of Lithuania from 6 April 2004 to 12 July 2004.-Early career:...
.
Its policy was based on social liberalism
Social liberalism
Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
: the principal values of which are personal freedom, social solidarity, welfare of people and justice.
In 2000 it formed a coalition government with the Liberal Union
Liberal 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...
, and in 2001 a new coalition with the Social Democrats
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...
and later on in 2004 a coalition with the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania
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...
and the Labour Party
Labour Party (Lithuania)
The Labour Party , or DP, is a centrist political party in Lithuania. It was founded in 2003 by the Russian-born millionaire Viktor Uspaskich....
which lasted until 2008.
Its candidate Vilija Blinkevičiūtė won 16.6% of the votes in the 2004 presidential election
Lithuanian 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....
. At that year's 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 ....
, the party ran in alliance 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...
under the label 'Coalition of 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....
and Artūras Paulauskas
Arturas Paulauskas
Artūras Paulauskas is a Lithuanian politician. He was the Speaker of Seimas, the parliament of Lithuania, from 2000 to 2006, and he served as Acting President of Lithuania from 6 April 2004 to 12 July 2004.-Early career:...
: Working for Lithuania'. The list won 31 seats out of 141, of which the New Union won 11.
At the 2008 parliamentary 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...
, the party lost heavily, winning only 1 seat 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...
and only 3.64% of the national vote. Due to the Labour Party
Labour Party (Lithuania)
The Labour Party , or DP, is a centrist political party in Lithuania. It was founded in 2003 by the Russian-born millionaire Viktor Uspaskich....
(DP) also losing heavily, the coalition between the NS, DP, and 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...
collapsed and was replaced by a centre-right
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...
coalition under Andrius Kubilius
Andrius Kubilius
Andrius Kubilius is a Lithuanian politician who has been Prime Minister of Lithuania since 2008. He previously served as Prime Minister from 1999 to 2000. He is the leader of the conservative political party Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.- Biography :Kubilius was born at Vilnius...
, leaving the New Union in opposition.
The party's one member in the Seimas, Valerijus Simulik, sat 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...
. In 2011, the party merged with the Labour Party. A minority faction switched to the 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....
(LiCS).
External links
- New Union (Social Liberals) Official site