Credit:Flag courtesy of ITA's Flags of All Countries used with permission.

Election Date: October 24, 2004

At Stake: Diet

Background

On Apr. 15, the Lithuanian Diet established Jun. 13 as the date for the extraordinary presidential election in the former Soviet Republic. On that same date, voters will elect lawmakers to the European Parliament.

Lithuania seceded from the Soviet Union in 1991, along with Estonia and Latvia. The largest of the three Baltic states, Lithuania became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in March 2004, and officially joined the European Union (EU) on May 1.

The unanticipated ballot was called after head of state Rolandas Paksas was impeached. The president was elected on Jan. 3, 2003 as a candidate for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), winning 54.9 per cent of the vote in a run-off.

In March 2004—after months of instability and allegations of wrongdoing—a parliamentary commission deemed Paksas a threat to national security, for leaking sensitive information to third parties, mainly Russian businessman Yuri Borisov.

The special investigation also stated that some senior officials might have manipulated the privatization of various companies. On Mar. 31, the Constitutional Court ruled that Paksas violated the law by allowing Borisov—who according to police has links to organized crime—to become a Lithuanian citizen.

The Russian businessman—who owns helicopter producer Aviabaltika—has been accused of selling weapons to Sudan. He also contributed close to $400,000 U.S. to Paksas' campaign fund in late 2002.

After the Constitutional Court's ruling, the Diet voted on Apr. 6 to remove the 47-year-old Paksas from his post after just 14 months, approving impeachment procedures in three different matters: leaking sensitive information, offering citizenship to Borisov and the privatization controversy.

The country's laws originally allowed Paksas—a former mayor of Vilnius who twice acted as prime minister—to become a presidential candidate once again. On May 7, the Electoral Commission banned Paksas from registering as a candidate, after the Diet amended the existing regulations. In a February poll by Lithuanian-British Baltic Studies, Paksas had the support of 20.4 per cent of respondents in an eventual presidential election.

Prime minister Algirdas Brazauskas chose not to become a challenger. Brazauskas—who commanded a group of four political organizations to achieve the largest number of seats in the Diet in 2000—has administered the government since July 2001, when a centre-right coalition fell apart over questions regarding privatization plans.

The current prime minister acted as the Communist Party head in Soviet times, and actively promoted Lithuania's entry into NATO and the EU.

2004 Presidential Election

Five politicians were registered as candidates. The Lithuanian Social-Democratic Party (LSDP) nominated acting parliamentary speaker Ceslovas Jursenas. The Liberal Centrist Union (LiCS) picked former president Valdas Adamkus on Apr. 13.

Former prime minister Kazimiera Prunskiene ran once again for a coalition encompassing the Lithuanian Peasant Party (LVP) and the New Democratic Party (NDP). Social security minister Vilija Blinkeviciute of the New Union - Social-Liberals (NS) and former EU chief negotiator Petras Austrevicius—who was endorsed by the Homeland Union - Conservatives of Lithuania (TS-LK) on May 27—also participated.

An early May poll by Vilmorus put Adamkus in first place with 29.5 per cent, followed by Paksas and Blinkeviciute. Late May polls by Baltijos Tyrimai and Spinter Tyrimai put Adamkus in first place with less than 30 per cent, followed by Blinkeviciute, Austrevicius and Prunskiene.

Voting went on without any major problems on Jun. 13. Final results put Adamkus in first place with 31.10 per cent of the vote, followed by Prunskiene with 21.27 per cent. Since no candidate was able to garner more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots, Adamkus and Prunskiene qualified for a run-off. Turnout for the first round was tabled at 39.43 per cent.

A mid-June poll by Baltijos Tyrimai suggested Adamkus would receive 46 per cent of the vote in the second round, with Prunskiene getting 36 per cent.

On Jun. 23, Lithuania's anti-corruption watchdog group raided the headquarters of the LiCS and the NS—two parties that backed Adamkus—as well as the LSDP. According to preliminary reports, the probe was initiated due to allegations of bribery involving at least five current members of the Diet.

The presidential run-off was held on Jun. 27. Final results gave Adamkus the victory with 52.63 per cent of all cast ballots, with Prunskiene getting 47.37 per cent.

Turnout was tabled at 41.2 per cent of all eligible voters. Adamkus was officially sworn in as president on Jul. 12. On Jul. 14, the president re-appointed prime minister Algirdas Brazauskas.

2004 Diet Election

In the 2000 parliamentary ballot, the current prime minister led the Algirdas Brazauskas Social Democratic Coalition (ABSK)—an alliance of four parties—to a victory with 31.1 per cent of all cast ballots and 51 Diet seats.

The Jun. 13 elections to the European Parliament witnessed the emergence of the recently created Labour Party (DP). The political organization led by Viktoras Uspaskikh—a Russian-born tycoon—won five of Lithuania's 13 continental seats.

Preparations for the Oct. 10 legislative ballot have been marked by a lingering corruption scandal. In July, three Diet members were the focus of wrongdoing allegations.

Deputy parliamentary chairman Vytenis Andriukaitis of the Lithuanian Social-Democratic Party (LSDP) allegedly received around $27,000 U.S. in bribes paid by Andrius Janukonis, chief executive officer of the Rubicon Group. Janukonis is said to have made the payments to secure a favourable amendment to the national heating law.

Vytautas Kvietkauskas of the New Union - Social-Liberals (NS) purportedly received $8,900 U.S. from one of Janukonis' security guards. Kvietkauskas apparently also modified legislation to benefit the Rubicon executive, and personally invested in the construction of a Vilnius arena.

Arvydas Vidziunas of the Homeland Union - Conservatives of Lithuania (TS-LK) supposedly also changed regulations for Janukonis in exchange for $14,000 U.S. On Jul. 28, the Electoral Commission suspended the three lawmakers.

In August, the Diet approved a proposal to stage a two-round parliamentary election. The new law establishes that single-seat constituencies must be won by a candidate who garners half of all cast ballots in the first round, if turnout is higher than 40 per cent. If this is not the case, a contender can still claim victory with the support of more than half of all actual voters, provided the number is higher than 20 per cent of all registered voters in the constituency. If neither of these stipulations occurs, a run-off would take place two weeks later.

Voting went on without any major problems on Oct. 10. Final results from the proportional representation election put the Labour Party in first place with 28.46 per cent of all cast ballots and 22 lawmakers, followed by the Algirdas Brazauskas/Arturas Paulauskas "Working for Lithuania" coalition of Social Democrats and Social Liberals with 20.65 per cent and 16 legislators. Turnout was tabled at 36.71 per cent an hour before the polls closed.

Only four of 71 single-seat constituencies were decided. A run-off was held on Oct. 24. Final results gave a loose alliance encompassing the Homeland Union - Conservatives of Lithuania (TS-LK) and the Liberal and Centre Union (LLS-LCS) 43 seats, followed by the Labour Party with 39 lawmakers and the ruling coalition with 31 seats.

Prime minister Algirdas Brazauskas said he expected his coalition to form the next government with the help of other parties, but originally stated he would not invite Labour as a partner. On Oct. 28, the Brazauskas/Paulauskas coalition signed an agreement with Uspaskikh's Labour Party to begin assembling the new cabinet.

Political Players

President: Valdas Adamkus - LiCS
Prime minister: Algirdas Brazauskas - LDDP

The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote.

Legislative Branch: The Lietuvos Respublikos Seimas (Diet) has 141 members, elected to four-year terms; 71 members are elected in single-seat constituencies and 70 members are elected by proportional representation.

Results of Last Election:

President - Jun. 13 and Jun. 27, 2004

Diet - Oct. 10 and Oct. 24, 2004

Archive Search

Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Election Tracker archive.