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Liberals' Movement (Lithuania)

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Liberals' Movement
Liberalų sąjūdis
AbbreviationLS
ChairpersonViktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen
First vice chairEdita Rudelienė
Deputy chairpersons
Executive secretaryAntanas Martusevičius
Founded25 February 2006 (2006-02-25)
Split fromLiberal and Centre Union
HeadquartersGedimino pr. 64, Vilnius
IdeologyConservative liberalism[1][2][3]
Classical liberalism[4]
Political positionCentre[5] to centre-right[8]
European affiliationAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
European Parliament groupRenew Europe
Colours  Orange
Seimas
12 / 141
European Parliament
1 / 11
Municipal councils
217 / 1,473
Mayors
9 / 60
Website
www.liberalai.lt

The Liberals' Movement (Lithuanian: Liberalų sąjūdis; LS) is a conservative-liberal political party in Lithuania.[6][7][9][10]

History

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Party's logo (2006–2022)

Foundation, participation in the government and growth (2006–2016)

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The party was founded in 2006 by dissident members of the Liberal and Centre Union that were unhappy with Artūras Zuokas's leadership.

In the summer of 2006, the Liberal Movement started cooperating with the Homeland Union (as the Liberal and Centre Union) before joining the Kirkilas Cabinet.[11] In the 2007 municipal elections the party received 4.66 per cent of the national vote.

In the legislative elections of 2008 it gained 11 seats in the Seimas and 5.72 percent of the national vote. The LRLS formed a coalition with the Homeland Union, the Liberal and Centre Union, and the National Resurrection Party. This coalition gained a combined governmental majority of 80 out of 141 seats in the Seimas, led by Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius of the Homeland Union. At the subsequent elections of 2012, the party lost one seat to finish with 10 seats in the Seimas and 8.57 percent of the national vote.

Just month before the 2011 municipal election, the party started to describe itself as "rational mind right-wingers" (Lithuanian: sveiko proto dešinieji), which amplified the possibility to win over the Liberal and Centre Union and the Homeland Union.[12] The party's support started to grow. In the 2014 European Parliament election and the 2015 municipal election the party received 16.55 and 15.49 per cent of the national vote respectively. This growth was mainly at expense of the Liberal and Centre Union and the Lithuanian Freedom Union (Liberals), which received 1.48 and per 4.91 cent of national vote 2014 and 2015 elections respectively. It was also attributed to the previously undecided voters or voters of other parties (the Homeland Union, the Order and Justice and Labour Party).[13]

Corruption scandal, decline, internal disagreements and joining the government for the second time (since 2016)

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After the party's leader Eligijus Masiulis allegedly took a bribe of 106,000 euros, Antanas Guoga temporarily took his position on 13 May 2016.[14] He was the chairman for four days only before resigning. One month later, the mayor of Vilnius Remigijus Šimašius was elected as party's chairman.

The Šimašius leadership did not last long, and in 2017 Eugenijus Gentvilas was elected as the new leader.[15]

In preparations for 2019 municipal elections, several district committees (most notably in Vilnius, Klaipėda and Varėna districts) decided to form public election committees. The Liberal Movement Board annulled their district committees' decisions. In return, the leaders of the district committees of Vilnius, Klaipėda and Varėna districts (Aušrinė Armonaitė, Vytautas Grubliauskas and Algis Kašėta respectively) resigned from their positions or left the party altogether.[16][17]

One of these public election committees, "For Vilnius, which we are proud of!", in summer of 2019 formed a basis for a new party, the Freedom Party. Other aforementioned public election committees (alongside one in Elektrėnai) joined the new party as well.

On the other hand, the public election committee "For changes in Pagėgiai area" prior to the 2020 parliamentary election joined the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, while most of the members of the Order and Justice Party (which dissolved itself in 2020) in the same area became members of the Liberal Movement.[18]

In 2020 parliamentary election the Liberals' Movement managed to obtain seven per cent of votes. It later joined in a coalition with the Homeland Union and the Freedom Party. In 2022 the party changed its name (removing the reference to the Republic of Lithuania) and logo.

Ideology

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The Liberals' Movement is generally described as a centrist[5] or centre-right[7][4] party.

It is socially and economically liberal, and ran on a platform of cutting taxation and legalizing gender-neutral partnerships during the 2020 Lithuanian parliamentary election.[19] It is considered to be more moderate than the Freedom Party.[19][20]

It supports the European Green Deal, strengthening the Common Security and Defence Policy and wider adoption of qualified majority in the Council of the European Union.[21]

A conservative faction exists within the party, named "agroliberals" (Lithuanian: agroliberalai). Five members of the Seimas belonging to the Liberals' Movement in the Thirteenth Seimas – Romualdas Vaitkus, Juozas Baublys, Ričardas Juška, Viktoras Pranckietis and Jonas Varkalys – are considered to be members of the faction. During the term, this faction opposed same-sex partnerships, decriminalization of small quantities of narcotics, and mandatory vaccinations for doctors and social workers.[22]

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Main party support is coming from urban areas (notably, from Klaipėda).[23][24] The party receives support from rural areas as well, but this support comes from suburbs of towns closer to the cities (e. g. Gargždai, Jurbarkas).[25][26]

Election results

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Seimas

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Election Leader Votes[a] % Seats +/– Government
2008 Eligijus Masiulis 70,862 5.73 (#6)
11 / 141
 New Coalition
2012 117,476 8.95 (#4)
10 / 141
 Decrease 1 Opposition
2016 Remigijus Šimašius 115,361 9.45 (#4)
14 / 141
 Increase 4 Opposition
2020 Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen 79,755 7.04 (#6)
13 / 141
 Decrease 1 Coalition
2024 95,868 7.85 (#5)
12 / 141
 Decrease 1 Opposition
  1. ^ Proportional representation votes.

European Parliament

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Election List leader Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2009 Leonidas Donskis 40,502 7.36 (#6)
1 / 11
 New ALDE
2014 Antanas Guoga 189,373 16.55 (#3)
2 / 11
 Increase 1
2019 Petras Auštrevičius 83,083 6.59 (#5)
1 / 11
 Decrease 1 RE
2024 Eugenijus Gentvilas 36,640 5.42 (#8)
1 / 11
 Steady 0

Members of the European Parliament

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Parliamentarian Occupation From
Petras Auštrevičius Diplomat 2014

Members of Seimas

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Parliamentarian[27] Previous mandate[27] Current mandate from[27] Constituency[27]
Virgilijus Alekna – 2016 Nationwide
Juozas Baublys – 2016 Varėna-Trakai
Viktorija Čmilytė – 2015 Nationwide
Vitalijus Gailius – 2012 Pakruojis-Joniškis
Arūnas Gelūnas – 2016 Nationwide
Eugenijus Gentvilas 1990–1992 2012 Nationwide
Simonas Gentvilas – 2016 Nationwide
Kęstutis Glaveckas 1990–1992 1996 Nationwide
Ričardas Juška – 2016 Jurbarkas-Pagėgiai
Jonas Liesys 2008–2012 2016 Trakai-Vievis
Gintaras Vaičekauskas – 2016 Pajūrio (Klaipėda)
Jonas Varkalys – 2016 Plungė

Mayors

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Mayor[28] Municipality[28]
Gediminas Čepulis Joniškio rajonas
Antanas Černeckis Rietavas
Saulius Grinkevičius Kėdainiai
Algis Kašėta Varėnos rajonas
Audrius Klišonis Plungės rajonas
Sigitas Mičiulis Tauragės rajonas
Andrius Šatevičius Trakų rajonas
Kęstutis Vaitukaitis Elektrėnų rajonas

Vice-mayors

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Vice-mayor[28] Municipality[28]
Jonas Eugenijus Bačinskas Rietavas
Kęstutis Bagdanavičius Kalvarijos
Simonas Kairys Kaunas
Algis Mačiulis Šiaulių rajonas
Apolinaras Nicius Akmenės rajonas
Danutė Skruibienė Kretingos rajonas
Judita Simonavičiūtė Klaipėda
Valdas Petras Mikelionis Lazdijų rajonas
Artūras Šulcas Klaipėdos rajonas

See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ Slomp, Hans (26 September 2011). Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. p. 536. ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8.
  2. ^ O'Leary, Naomi (3 August 2022). "Why Lithuania is willing to risk China's fury". The Irish Times. Retrieved 27 August 2022. ...conservative-liberal Liberal Movement, and centre/centre-left Freedom Party when it came to power in 2020.
  3. ^ Matthews-Ferrero, Daniel; Steenland, Robert (10 May 2019). "EU country briefing: Lithuania". Retrieved 27 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Liesener, Leon Andrius (24 October 2020). "Lithuanian Parliamentary Elections: Second Round, Two Camps Battling for the Victory". Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Lithuania country profile". BBC. 22 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b The New York Times (27 October 2008). "Center-Right to Form Lithuanian Coalition". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  7. ^ a b c Adomaitis, Nerijus (26 October 2008). "Lithuanian Centre-Right Wins Vote as Slowdown Looms". Reuters. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  8. ^ [6][7][4]
  9. ^ Seputyte, Milda (26 October 2008). "Lithuanian Homeland Union Secures Victory in Election Run-Off". Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  10. ^ The Economist (11 March 2009). "Lithuania: Political Structure". Retrieved 22 September 2011. (registration required)
  11. ^ Digrytė, Eglė. "Konservatoriai ir liberalai formuos savo koaliciją". DELFI.
  12. ^ "Liberalai per savivaldos rinkimus reklamuosis kaip sveiko proto dešinieji". 8 January 2011 – via tv.lrytas.lt.
  13. ^ "Lietuvos Respublikos liberalų sąjūdis: žlugę per vieną dieną?". 11 August 2016.
  14. ^ Antanavičius, Ugnius (13 May 2016). "Pokerio žaidėjas, tapęs liberalų vedliu: įdomiausi A.Guogos biografijos faktai". 15min.lt. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Liberalai tarė savo žodį dėl lyderio: partijai vadovaus Eugenijus Gentvilas". tv3.lt.
  16. ^ "Armonaitė traukiasi iš Liberalų sąjūdžio vicepirmininkių". DELFI.
  17. ^ "Liberalų sąjūdis byra toliau – partiją palieka ir Vytautas Grubliauskas". lrytas.lt. 5 November 2018.
  18. ^ "Šilokarčema – Pūstelėjo permainų vėjas Pagėgių politikoje". www.silokarcema.lt.
  19. ^ a b Šuliokas, Justinas (21 September 2020). "Who's who in Lithuania's 2020 parliamentary election – explainer". LRT.
  20. ^ Jegelevičius, Linas (8 April 2021). "Lithuanian government's first 100 days in office: Liberal parties compete on being more liberal?". Baltic News Network.
  21. ^ "Liberalų sąjūdis". Mano balsas (in Lithuanian).
  22. ^ Pankūnas, Gytis (12 February 2022). "Liberalų maištininkai – patogioje situacijoje: ir savi toleruoja, ir svetimi gundo". LRT (in Lithuanian).
  23. ^ "Liberalų sąjūdžio atstovai ramūs: Neblogi rezultatai – net kaimų apylinkėse".
  24. ^ "Rezultatai – VRK.lt".
  25. ^ "Rezultatai – VRK.lt".
  26. ^ "Rezultatai – VRK.lt".
  27. ^ a b c d "Liberals Movement Political Group". Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  28. ^ a b c d "Merai ir vicemerai". Lietuvos Respublikos Liberalų sąjūdis. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
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