Lithuania is a multi-party, parliamentary democracy. The president, who is the head of the state, is elected directly for 5 years, is also commander in chief overseeing foreign and security policy, and nominates the prime minister and his cabinet and a number of other top civil servants. President Rolandas Paksas, who took office in January 2003 has been impeached on April 6, 2004 and an early election is planned within 2 months of impeachment. Until then, the speaker of the parliament, Arturas Paulauskas will act as a president.

The parliament (Seimas) has 141 members that are elected for a 4-year term. About half of the members are elected in single constituencies (71), and the other half (70) are elected in the nationwide vote by party lists. A party must receive at least 5% of the national vote to be represented in the Seimas. The last parliamentary elections took place in October 2000.

All major parties have declared their support for Lithuania's membership in NATO and the European Union (EU). Lithuania joined NATO on March 29, 2004 and joined the EU on May 1, 2004.

Since 1991, Lithuanian voters have shifted from right to left and back again, swinging between the Conservatives, led by Vytautas Landsbergis, and the (formerly communist) Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania, led by former president Algirdas Brazauskas. This pattern was broken in the October 2000 elections when the Liberal Union and New Union parties won the most votes and were able to form a centrist ruling coalition with minor partners. President Adamkus played a key role in bringing the new centrist parties together. The leader of the center-left New Union (also known as the Social Liberal party), Arturas Paulauskas, became the Chairman of the Seimas. The government of liberal Rolandas Paksas got off to a rocky start and collapsed within 7 months. In July 2001, the center-left New Union party forged an alliance with the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and formed a new cabinet under former president Algirdas Brazauskas.

The cabinet of Algirdas Brazauskas is made up mostly of nonparty technocrats and has emphasized the need for financial discipline. The government remains focused on NATO and EU membership goals.

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Lithuania
conventional short form: Lithuania
local long form: Lietuvos Respublika
local short form: Lietuva
former: Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: LH

Government type: parliamentary democracy

Capital: Vilnius

Administrative divisions: 44 regions (rajonai, singular - rajonas) and 11 municipalities*: Akmenes Rajonas, Alytaus Rajonas, Alytus*, Anyksciu Rajonas, Birstonas*, Birzu Rajonas, Druskininkai*, Ignalinos Rajonas, Jonavos Rajonas, Joniskio Rajonas, Jurbarko Rajonas, Kaisiadoriu Rajonas, Kaunas*, Kauno Rajonas, Kedainiu Rajonas, Kelmes Rajonas, Klaipeda*, Klaipedos Rajonas, Kretingos Rajonas, Kupiskio Rajonas, Lazdiju Rajonas, Marijampole*, Marijampoles Rajonas, Mazeikiu Rajonas, Moletu Rajonas, Neringa* Pakruojo Rajonas, Palanga*, Panevezio Rajonas, Panevezys*, Pasvalio Rajonas, Plunges Rajonas, Prienu Rajonas, Radviliskio Rajonas, Raseiniu Rajonas, Rokiskio Rajonas, Sakiu Rajonas, Salcininku Rajonas, Siauliai*, Siauliu Rajonas, Silales Rajonas, Silutes Rajonas, Sirvintu Rajonas, Skuodo Rajonas, Svencioniu Rajonas, Taurages Rajonas, Telsiu Rajonas, Traku Rajonas, Ukmerges Rajonas, Utenos Rajonas, Varenos Rajonas, Vilkaviskio Rajonas, Vilniaus Rajonas, Vilnius*, Zarasu Rajonas

Independence: March 11, 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Statehood Day, February 16 (1918)

Constitution: adopted October 25, 1992

Legal system: based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

• chief of state: See List of Presidents of Lithuania
  • President Arturas Paulauskas (temporary, since April 6, 2004)
• head of government: See Prime Minister of Lithuania.
  • Premier Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas (since July 12, 2001)
• cabinet ( http://www.lrvk.lt ): Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the nomination of the premier
  • minister for foreign affairs: Antanas Valionis
• elections:president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;

early election held in June 2004 and the winner is Valdas Adamkus.

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament or Seimas ( http://www.lrs.lt ) (141 seats, 71 members are directly elected by popular vote, 70 are elected by proportional representation; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 8 October 2000 (next to be held 2004 September)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LSDP 49, LS 34, NS 29, TS 9, LVS 4, LCS 3, LKDP 2, independents 2, others 9

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges appointed by the Parliament; Court of Appeal, judges appointed by the Parliament

Europe Union parliament: Lithuania has 13 seats in Europe Union parliament
elections: last held 13 June 2004
election results: seats by party - LDP 5, LSDP 2, TS-LK 2, LLCS 2, VNDS 1, LLDP 1

• Ona Juknevičienė (Lithuanian Labour Party)
• Arūnas Degutis (Lithuanian Labour Party)
• Danutė Budreikaitė (Lithuanian Labour Party)
• Jolanta Dičkutė (Lithuanian Labour Party)
• Aidas Gedvilas (Lithuanian Labour Party)
• Justas Vincas Paleckis (Lithuanian Social Democratic Party)
• Aloyzas Sakalas (Lithuanian Social Democratic Party)
• Vytautas Landsbergis (Homeland Union/Conservative Party)
• Laima Andrikienė (Homeland Union/Conservative Party)
• Eugenijus Gentvilas (Liberal and Center Union)
• Margarita Starkevičiūtė (Liberal and Center Union)
• Gintaras Didz<caron>iokas (Union of Farmer's and New Democracy Parties)
• Rolandas Pavilionis (Liberal Democratic Party)

Political parties and leaders:

• Lietuvos darbo partija or LDP (Lithuanian Labor Party), chairman Viktor Uspaskich
• Lietuvos kriks<caron>čionių demokratų partija or LKPD (Christian Democratic Party), chairman Kazys Bobelis
• Tėvynės Sąjunga/Lietuvos Konservatoriai or TS-LK (Homeland Union/Conservative Party), chairman Andrius Kubilius
• Lietuvos Liberalų Sąjunga or LLS (Liberal Union), chairman Eugenijus Gentvilas
• Lietuvos centro sąjunga or LCS (Lithuanian Center Union), chairman Kestutis Glaveckas
• Lietuvos valstiečių partija or LVP (Lithuanian Farmer's Party), previously Lietuvos ukininku sajunga (Farmers' Union), chairman Ramunas Karbauskis
• Lietuvos Tautininkų Sąjunga or LTS (Lithuanian Nationalist Union), chairman Rimantas Smetona
• Lietuvos Lenkų Sąjunga or LLS (Lithuanian Polish Union), chairman Ryszard Maciejkaniec (Rsztardas Maciekaniec or maybe Rytardas Maciekaniec)
• Lietuvos Nacionaldemokratų Partija or LNDP, chairman Vygintas Gontis
• Lietuvos Socialdemokratų Partija or LSDP (Lithuanian Social Democratic Party), chairman Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas
• Naujoji Sąjunga (New Union), chairman Arturas Paulauskas

Political pressure groups and leaders: Lithuanian Future Forum

International organization participation: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of yellow (top), green, and red

See also : Lithuania