Social Democratic Party of Lithuania
Encyclopedia
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 Parliament
from 2004-2008. The party is a member of both the Party of European Socialists
and the Socialist International
.
in 1905. The party was one of the major political powers in Lithuanian independence period between 1918 and 1940. After the election in 1926 the party has formed left coalition government with Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union. This government was cancelled after 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
. The authoritarian regime of Antanas Smetona
banned all political parties in 1936.
During the Soviet era in Lithuania no democratic political parties existed. Since 1945 party's work in exile has been organised.
In 1989 in Lithuania Social Democratic Party was restored. Kazimieras Antanavičius (economist) was elected to be party's leader. In 1990-1992 parliament the party had 9 seats. All other elections over the first decade of the second Lithuanian independece weren't very successful for the party : between 1992-1996 party had 8 seats, in the election in 1996 it won 7 seats and also 5 seats in single-seat constituencies.
In 1999 party's congress elected a new leader Vytenis Andriukaitis
. The negotiation between ex-communist Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania
started and those members who were against that founded a new party called "Social democracy 2000" (now called "Social Democratic Union of Lithuania"). United social democratic coalition between two parties won 51 seat in Lithuanian parliament in the election in 2000. It stayed in the opposition until 2001 when the government of ex-president Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas was established.
In 2001 The Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and the Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania
(the latter party was known as the Communist Party of Lithuania
until 1990) have merged. After the reunification Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, the ex-president of Lithuania and the Lithuanian communist leader in the past, was elected to be the party's leader.
At the legislative elections
on 10 October 2004, the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania held 20 out of the 141 seats in the Seimas. From 4 July 2006, until the parliamentary elections of 2008
the party led a centre-left minority coalition of itself, the Labour Party
and New Union (Social Liberals) with 59 members of parliament in total.
Its presidential candidate, Česlovas Juršėnas
, won 11.9 percent of the vote at the presidential elections on 13 June 2004.
Algirdas Brazauskas
resigned from his position as party chairman on 19 May 2007, when Gediminas Kirkilas was elected.
At the legislative elections
of 2008
the party gained 25 seats in the Seimas
, five more than in the previous election of 2004, and 11.73 percent of the national vote. However, as its coalition partners, Labour Party
and New Union (Social Liberals) lost many seats, the coalition collapsed and a new centre-right
coalition was formed, led by Andrius Kubilius
, who became prime minister
for a second time. The coalition included the Homeland Union, National Resurrection Party
, and Liberal Movement which gained a combined governmental majority of 72 out of 141 seats, took its place, leaving the Social Democratic party in opposition. On 7th of March 2009 party's congress elected the new leader Algirdas Butkevičius
. He was the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania's (SDPL) candidate at the Lithuanian presidential election, 2009
, coming in the second place with 11.83% of the votes.
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...
and social democratic
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
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...
. It is the oldest party in Lithuania, founded in 1896. The party's president since 2009 is Algirdas Butkevičius
Algirdas Butkevičius
Algirdas Butkevičius is a Lithuanian politician. He was the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania's candidate at the Lithuanian presidential election, 2009, coming in the second place with 11.83% of the votes. In 1996 and 2000, he was elected to the Seimas...
. The party led a minority government in the unicameral 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...
, Lithuania's Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
from 2004-2008. The party is a member of both the Party of European Socialists
Party of European Socialists
The Party of European Socialists is a European political party led by Sergei Stanishev, former Prime Minister of Bulgaria. The PES comprises social-democratic national-level political parties primarily from Member state of the European Union, as well as other nations of the European continent. The...
and the Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
.
History
The Social Democratic Party of Lithuania was founded on 1st of May 1896. It was the first Lithuanian political party and one of the major parties who initiated the assemnbly called Great Seimas of VilniusGreat Seimas of Vilnius
The Great Seimas of Vilnius , was a major assembly held on December 4 and 5, 1905 in Vilnius, Lithuania, then part of the Russian Empire, largely inspired by the Russian Revolution of 1905. It was the first modern national congress in Lithuania and dealt primarily not with the social issues that...
in 1905. The party was one of the major political powers in Lithuanian independence period between 1918 and 1940. After the election in 1926 the party has formed left coalition government with Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union. This government was cancelled after 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
1926 Lithuanian coup d'état
The 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état was a military coup d'etat in Lithuania that resulted in the replacement of the democratically elected government with a conservative authoritarian government led by Antanas Smetona. The coup took place on December 17, 1926 and was largely organized by the military;...
. The authoritarian regime of Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona
Antanas Smetona was one of the most important Lithuanian political figures between World War I and World War II. He served as the first President of Lithuania from April 4, 1919 to June 19, 1920. He again served as the last President of the country from December 19, 1926 to June 15, 1940, before...
banned all political parties in 1936.
During the Soviet era in Lithuania no democratic political parties existed. Since 1945 party's work in exile has been organised.
In 1989 in Lithuania Social Democratic Party was restored. Kazimieras Antanavičius (economist) was elected to be party's leader. In 1990-1992 parliament the party had 9 seats. All other elections over the first decade of the second Lithuanian independece weren't very successful for the party : between 1992-1996 party had 8 seats, in the election in 1996 it won 7 seats and also 5 seats in single-seat constituencies.
In 1999 party's congress elected a new leader Vytenis Andriukaitis
Vytenis Andriukaitis
Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis is a Lithuanian physician, politician, and signatory of the 1990 Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania.-Biography:...
. The negotiation between ex-communist 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...
started and those members who were against that founded a new party called "Social democracy 2000" (now called "Social Democratic Union of Lithuania"). United social democratic coalition between two parties won 51 seat in Lithuanian parliament in the election in 2000. It stayed in the opposition until 2001 when the government of ex-president Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas was established.
In 2001 The Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and 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...
(the latter party was known as 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:...
until 1990) have merged. After the reunification Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas, the ex-president of Lithuania and the Lithuanian communist leader in the past, was elected to be the party's leader.
At the legislative elections
Elections in Lithuania
Elections in Lithuania gives information on election and election results in Lithuania.Lithuania elects on national level a head of state—the president—and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people...
on 10 October 2004, the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania held 20 out of the 141 seats in the Seimas. From 4 July 2006, until the parliamentary elections of 2008
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 led a centre-left minority coalition of itself, 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....
and New Union (Social Liberals) with 59 members of parliament in total.
Its presidential candidate, Česlovas Juršėnas
Ceslovas Juršenas
Česlovas Juršėnas is a Lithuanian politician and the former Speaker of the Seimas, the Lithuanian parliament.In 1955, he graduated from Ignalina secondary school with a gold medal and entered Vilnius University from which he graduated in 1966.During 1960-1964 he was an employee of a newspaper...
, won 11.9 percent of the vote at the presidential elections on 13 June 2004.
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....
resigned from his position as party chairman on 19 May 2007, when Gediminas Kirkilas was elected.
At the legislative elections
Elections in Lithuania
Elections in Lithuania gives information on election and election results in Lithuania.Lithuania elects on national level a head of state—the president—and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people...
of 2008
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 gained 25 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...
, five more than in the previous election of 2004, and 11.73 percent of the national vote. However, as its coalition partners, 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....
and New Union (Social Liberals) lost many seats, the coalition collapsed and a new 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 was formed, led by 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...
, who became prime minister
Prime Minister of Lithuania
The Prime Minister of Lithuania is the head of the executive arm of Lithuania's government, and is chosen by the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas. The modern office of Prime Minister was established in 1990, although the official title was "Chairperson of the Council of Ministers" until 25...
for a second time. The coalition included the Homeland Union, National Resurrection Party
National Resurrection Party
National Resurrection Party was a centre-right political party in Lithuania. Founded in 2008, the party merged into the Liberal and Centre Union in 2011...
, and Liberal Movement which gained a combined governmental majority of 72 out of 141 seats, took its place, leaving the Social Democratic party in opposition. On 7th of March 2009 party's congress elected the new leader Algirdas Butkevičius
Algirdas Butkevičius
Algirdas Butkevičius is a Lithuanian politician. He was the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania's candidate at the Lithuanian presidential election, 2009, coming in the second place with 11.83% of the votes. In 1996 and 2000, he was elected to the Seimas...
. He was the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania's (SDPL) candidate at the Lithuanian presidential election, 2009
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.-...
, coming in the second place with 11.83% of the votes.