2012 Lithuanian parliamentary election

none Lithuania 2008 2016 14 October 2012 (first round)28 October 2012 (second round) All 141 seats in the Seimas 71 52.93% ( 4.34 pp) Viktor Uspaskich Labour Party (Lithuania) 10 29 20.69 Algirdas Butkevičius Social Democratic Party of Lithuania 25 38 19.18 Andrius Kubilius Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats 45 33 15.75 Eligijus Masiulis Liberal Movement (Lithuania) 11 10 8.95 Neringa Venckiene The Way of Courage new 7 8.34 Rolandas Paksas Order and Justice 15 11 7.63 Valdemar Tomaševski Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania 3 8 6.08 Ramūnas Karbauskis Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union 3 1 4.05 – Independents 4 3 – Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats Algirdas Butkevičius Social Democratic Party of Lithuania Parliamentary elections were held in Lithuania on 14 October 2012, with a second round on 28 October in the constituencies where no candidate won a majority in the first round of voting. All 141 seats in the Seimas were up for election; 71 in single-seat constituencies elected by majority vote and the remaining 70 in a nationwide constituency based on proportional representation. Together with the elections, a referendum on the construction of a new nuclear power plant was held.Ex-President Valdas Adamkus calls scheduled nuclear plant referendum a mockery https://web.archive.org/web/20181111001211/http://www.15min.lt/en/article/politics/ex-president-valdas-adamkus-calls-scheduled-nuclear-plant-referendum-a-mockery-526-239699 2018-11-11 15 min, 7 August 2012 The Homeland Union, which had led the outgoing government, suffered as a result of its deeply unpopular austerity policies. The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party became the largest party in the Seimas after the elections, initially winning 38 seats (increasing to 39 after two by-elections). The Social Democratic Party and other left-wing parties had campaigned on the promise of ending the austerity, increasing the minimum wage, reducing unemployment and boosting public spending. The Social Democratic Party formed a coalition with the Labour Party, Order and Justice and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania. The resulting government was led by Algirdas Butkevičius. Background The 2008 parliamentary elections were held on 12 October 2008, with the run-off on 26 October. The elections were won by the Homeland Union, which took 45 seats in the 141-member Tenth Seimas. The Homeland Union led a coalition in the parliament with the Liberal Movement, the Liberal and Centre Union and the National Resurrection Party. The populist National Resurrection Party splintered in 2010, with part of its representatives forming the Christian Party, while the remaining were absorbed by the Liberal and Centre Union in 2011. Social Democratic Party of Lithuania was the largest opposition party. The leader of the Homeland Union, Andrius Kubilius, was appointed the Prime Minister heading a coalition government. Early in the term, the economy of Lithuania headed into severe recession, putting a strain on public finances which the government attempted to control by introducing broad austerity measures, including cuts to public spending and higher taxes. Despite the unpopularity of the measures and the resulting public protests, the coalition government became the first government in the history of Lithuania to serve the full term of the parliament.Lithuania's final sprint https://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/09/lithuania The Economist 15 April 2016 7 September 2012 23 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160423132344/http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/09/lithuania live Electoral system Elections in Lithuania All seats in the 141-member Seimas were up for election in parallel voting, with 71 members elected in single-seat constituencies and 70 members elected by proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency.http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_l?p_id=483680 Law on Elections to the Seimas 14 May 2015 Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania 31 July 2015 7 April 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20220407012050/https://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_l?p_id=483680 live Voting in the elections was open to all citizens of Lithuania who are at least 18-years-old. The first round took place on 9 October 2012. Members of the Seimas in the 71 single-seat constituencies were elected by a majority vote, with a run-off held on 28 October. The remaining 70 seats were allocated to the participating political parties using the largest remainder method, with a 5% threshold to enter the parliament. Candidates took the seats allocated to their parties based on the preference lists submitted before the elections and adjusted by preference votes given by the voters. To be eligible for election, candidates had to be at least 25-years-old on the election day, not under allegiance to a foreign state and permanently resident in Lithuania. Persons serving or due to serve a sentence imposed by the court 65 days before the elections are not eligible. Also, judges, citizens performing military service, and servicemen of professional military service and officials of statutory institutions and establishments may not stand for election. In addition, a person who has been removed from office through impeachment may not be elected. This provision was declared to be in violation of European Convention on Human Rights in 2011,Lithuania loses Euro court case over ex-leader Paksas https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-12126217 15 April 2016 BBC 6 January 2011 25 June 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160625082639/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-12126217 live but the necessary changes to the constitution were not implemented before the election. Election campaign The election campaign started in April 2012, when the President of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, officially announced the election date.Kmieliauskas Linas Oficialiai prasidėjo Seimo rinkimų kampanija http://vz.lt/archive/article/2012/4/11/oficialiai-prasidejo-seimo-rinkimu-kampanija 15 April 2016 Verslo Zinios 11 April 2012 Before the elections, five parties were expected to win representation in the Seimas based on the opinion polls: opposition Social Democrats, Order and Justice and Labour, as well as the ruling Homeland Union and Liberal Movement. Social Democratic Party, led by Algirdas Butkevičius, had been ahead in the polls for most of the year before the elections. Focusing on the public dissatisfaction with the government of Andrius Kubilius, Social Democrats promised to end the hated austerity measures and increase public spending, even as analysts suggested it would have little room to maneuver.Lithuania election: Voters 'dump austerity government' https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-19940043 15 April 2016 BBC 15 October 2012 Populist Labour Party had consistently ranked second in the polls, led by Russian-born businessman-turned-politician Viktor Uspaskich. As part of the election campaign, the party promised to reduce unemployment and massively increase the minimum wage.Deloy Corinne The leftwing opposition running favourite in the general elections http://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/doc/oee/oee-1332c-en.pdf FONDATION ROBERT SCHUMAN 15 April 2016 6 May 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160506162213/http://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/doc/oee/oee-1332c-en.pdf live The party's vague but attractive message resonated with voters despite Uspaskich and the party long being under criminal investigation in Lithuania for false bookkeeping and tax evasion. Order and Justice was led by another controversial politician, Rolandas Paksas. Paksas, who was elected the President of Lithuania in 2003 and impeached in 2004. The lifetime ban preventing Paksas from running for office was deemed in violation of European Convention on Human Rights in 2011, creating the prospect of him heading the electoral list of Order and Justice. Nevertheless, the constitutional court ruled that amendments to the constitution were required to implement the decision, and Paksas was prevented from running. Order and Justice campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, also promising to reduce inequality and reduce unemployment by distributing state land to farmers. Homeland Union, which had led the government for the preceding four years, and their coalition partners Liberal Movement took much of the blame for the unpopular austerity measures, suffering in the polls as a result. However, the Homeland Union exceeded expectations in the municipal elections in 2011, garnering the second-largest share of the vote (behind the Social Democrats), raising hopes that both parties could take advantage of the improving economic situation following the Great Recession. President Grybauskaitė, foreign governments and the International Monetary Fund had also praised the government for the measures it took to avoid insolvency during the economic crisis.Leftward lurch https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21565654-lithuania%E2%80%99s-social-democrats-win-parliamentary-elections-leftward-lurch 15 April 2016 The Economist 3 November 2012 6 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160306070039/http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21565654-lithuania%E2%80%99s-social-democrats-win-parliamentary-elections-leftward-lurch live Other significant parties featuring in the polls included the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania, a party with substantial support in areas with significant Polish and Russian minorities, the Way of Courage, a party focused on fighting an alleged pedophile conspiracy, and YES, a movement led by the Mayor of Vilnius Artūras Zuokas. Politicians not standing Česlovas Juršėnas (LSDP) Opinion polls PartiesWon't voteDon't knowTS-KDTTLSDPDPLRLSLiCSLLRALVŽSDKYESOtherPrevious electionsSeats4515251011833NewNew---PR vote, %19.612.711.89.05.75.34.83.7-----Polls by "Spinter tyrimai" for Delfi.lt (% of respondents)March 2012http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/apklausa-premjero-poste-gyventojai-nori-matyti-nebe-idegutiene-o-vuspaskicha.d?id=58675595 Apklausa: premjero poste gyventojai nori matyti nebe I.Degutienę, o V.Uspaskichą Delfi 12 July 2012 24 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160424153941/http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/apklausa-premjero-poste-gyventojai-nori-matyti-nebe-idegutiene-o-vuspaskicha.d?id=58675595 live8.29.012.014.87.21.3-4.25.0-2.629.66.1April 20127.710.414.112.65.81.1-2.44.2-2.928.410.4May 2012http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/apklausa-vuspaskichas-jau-nebera-trokstamiausias-premjeras.d?id=58917115 Apklausa: V.Uspaskichas jau nebėra trokštamiausias premjeras Delfi 12 July 2012 24 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160424154105/http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/apklausa-vuspaskichas-jau-nebera-trokstamiausias-premjeras.d?id=58917115 live7.29.313.612.35.71.3-2.03.9-2.930.211.6June 2012http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/drasos-keliui-kol-kas-patekimu-i-seima-nekvepia.d?id=59084805/ "Drąsos keliui" kol kas patekimu į Seimą nekvepia Delfi 2012-07-12 2016-04-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20160424141820/http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/drasos-keliui-kol-kas-patekimu-i-seima-nekvepia.d?id=59084805%2F live 8.511.214.213.36.11.5-1.34.53.51.225.09.7July 2012http://www.delfi.lt/news/balsuok2012/naujienos/apklausa-socdemu-ir-darbieciu-populiarumas-nezymiai-smuko-drasos-kelio-augo.d?id=59598563 Apklausa: socdemų ir "darbiečių" populiarumas nežymiai smuko, "Drąsos kelio" augo Delfi 27 September 2012 26 December 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121226212426/http://www.delfi.lt/news/balsuok2012/naujienos/apklausa-socdemu-ir-darbieciu-populiarumas-nezymiai-smuko-drasos-kelio-augo.d?id=59598563 live7.79.417.916.95.21.01.73.23.81.60.620.210.8August 20127.69.516.314.54.82.21.92.33.73.71.122.69.8September 2012http://www.delfi.lt/news/balsuok2012/naujienos/apklausoje-pirmauja-socdemai-ir-darbo-partija.d?id=59730251 Apklausoje pirmauja socdemai ir Darbo partija Delfi 11 October 2012 30 December 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20121230040846/http://www.delfi.lt/news/balsuok2012/naujienos/apklausoje-pirmauja-socdemai-ir-darbo-partija.d?id=59730251 live7.98.216.915.85.82.62.82.72.73.91.721.37.7Polls by Vilmorus for Lietuvos Rytas (% of respondents with an opinion)September 2012http://www.bernardinai.lt/straipsnis/2012-09-22-vilmorus-apklausa-rodo-kad-labai-daug-gyventoju-neapsisprende-uz-ka-balsuoti/88333 "Vilmorus" apklausa rodo, kad labai daug gyventojų neapsisprendę, už ką balsuoti Bernardinai 22 September 2012 2012-10-14 2016-12-04 https://web.archive.org/web/20161204112032/http://www.bernardinai.lt/straipsnis/2012-09-22-vilmorus-apklausa-rodo-kad-labai-daug-gyventoju-neapsisprende-uz-ka-balsuoti/88333 live12.313.923.421.15.32.71.53.51.56.5-11.628.1 Note: The National Resurrection Party (16 seats) had merged into the Liberal and Center Union in 2011. The New Union (Social Liberals) (1 seat) had merged into the Labour Party during the same year. Additionally, four seats were held by independent candidates. Results thumb|Ballot papers for nationwide proportional (left) and single mandate constituency (right) voting The elections resulted in a win for Social Democratic Party, which took 38 seats in the Eleventh Seimas (up from 25). Other left-leaning parties performed well, with Labour Party winning 29 seats (up from 10) and Order and Justice getting 11 (down from 15), largely with the support of poorer and rural voters. The ruling Homeland Union suffered in the elections, winning 33 seats (compared to 45 in the previous elections). The result was attributed to the party paying the price for unpopular austerity measures. Nevertheless, their result was better than had been expected before the elections, and the party was able to maintain its advantage in the second-largest city Kaunas, a historical stronghold of the party, as well as move ahead in the capital Vilnius for the first time. Their coalition partners, the Liberal Movement (10 seats, down from 11), secured the lead in Lithuania's third largest city, Klaipėda.Half-time https://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/10/lithuanias-election 15 April 2016 The Economist 16 October 2012 23 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160423192918/http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/10/lithuanias-election live File:2012 Lithuanian Seimas.svg Proportional Constituency (first round) Constituency (second round) Labour Party 271520 17 217914 1 193563 11 29 +19 Social Democratic Party of Lithuania 251610 15 222953 1 181160 22 38 +13 Homeland Union 206590 13 215257 0 233515 20 33 –12 Liberal Movement 117476 7 95166 0 35814 3 10 –1 The Way of Courage 109448 7 88871 0 44622 0 7 New Order and Justice 100120 6 104997 0 46638 5 11 –4 Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania 79840 5 75686 1 36906 2 8 +5 Peasant and Greens Union 53141 0 61981 0 11430 1 1 –2 Liberal and Centre Union 28263 0 58792 0 11905 0 0 –8 YES 24129 0 33295 0 0 New Socialist People's Front 16515 0 5820 0 0 0 Christian Party 16494 0 15480 0 0 New #95CA70 For Lithuania in Lithuania lt Už Lietuvą Lietuvoje 4 LCP 12854 4 0 3146 0 0 0 green LSDS 0 9343 0 0 0 TS 0 7231 0 0 New National Unity Union lt Tautos vienybės sąjunga TVS 0 3380 0 0 New darkblue Young Lithuania 8632 0 2595 0 0 0 Democratic Labour and Unity Party 4383 0 6692 0 0 New Emigrant Party 4015 0 1586 0 0 New Republican Party (Lithuania) lt Respublikonų partija (Lietuva) Republican Party 3661 0 6283 0 0 New Lithuanian People's Party 3399 0 0 New Independents 3 55505 0 32173 3 3 –1 Vacant 3 1 1 +1 57924 77936 47955 0 2588418 2588418 2438641 Central Electoral CommissionBalsavimo rezultatai daugiamandatėje apygardoje http://www.vrk.lt/statiniai/puslapiai/2012_seimo_rinkimai/output_lt/rezultatai_daugiamand_apygardose/rezultatai_daugiamand_apygardose1turas.html Central Electoral Commission 15 April 2016 17 February 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210217034023/https://www.vrk.lt/statiniai/puslapiai/2012_seimo_rinkimai/output_lt/rezultatai_daugiamand_apygardose/rezultatai_daugiamand_apygardose1turas.html live2012 m. spalio 28 d. pakartotinio balsavimo rezultatai http://www.vrk.lt/statiniai/puslapiai/2012_seimo_rinkimai/output_lt/rinkimu_diena/rezultatai2.html Central Electoral Commission 15 April 2016 15 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160415114948/http://www.vrk.lt/statiniai/puslapiai/2012_seimo_rinkimai/output_lt/rinkimu_diena/rezultatai2.html live Election results in one constituency were declared invalid by the Central Election Commission due to allegations of vote-buying.http://www.delfi.lt/archive/vrk-panaikino-rinkimu-rezultatus-zarasu-visagino-apygardoje.d?id=59807843 Lithuanian VRK panaikino rinkimų rezultatus Zarasų-Visagino apygardoje CEC invalidated the election results in Zarasai-Visaginas constituency 21 October 2012 Delfi.lt 31 July 2015 The parliament subsequently invalidated the results of another constituency due to voting irregularities following a verdict of the constitutional court.http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/seimas-panaikino-rinkimu-rezultatus-birzu-kupiskio-vienmandateje-apygardoje-56-278762 Želnienė Liepa Lithuanian Seimas panaikino rinkimų rezultatus Biržų-Kupiškio vienmandatėje apygardoje The Seimas invalidated the election results in Biržai-Kupiškis single-seat constituency 14 November 2012 15min.lt 31 July 2015 5 March 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305014246/http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/seimas-panaikino-rinkimu-rezultatus-birzu-kupiskio-vienmandateje-apygardoje-56-278762 live New elections were held in the two constituencies, as well as in another where the member of the parliament (Julius Veselka) had died in office,http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/politologai-prognozuoja-pakartotiniu-seimo-rinkimu-rezultatus.d?id=60824239 Lithuanian Politologai prognozuoja pakartotinių Seimo rinkimų rezultatus Political scientists predict the results of rerun elections to Seimas 4 March 2013 Delfi.lt 31 July 2015 23 September 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150923231345/http://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/politologai-prognozuoja-pakartotiniu-seimo-rinkimu-rezultatus.d?id=60824239 live on 3 March 2013, with a run-off on 17 March. As a result, Social Democrats gained one seat from the table above. Voting irregularities Allegations of vote buying surfaced after the first round of the elections. In total, the police has investigated 27 cases of possible irregularities, including 18 suspected cases of vote buying, mostly involving the Labour Party. The Central Electoral Commission, as well as prosecution authorities, claimed that two Labour Party members had purchased votes and the Commission invalidated the results in one single-seat constituency. Labour Party leader Uspaskich denounced the allegations as politically motivated and warned that no one should disrespect the popular choice. Government formation Following the elections, the winning Social Democrats proposed forming a government coalition with the Labour Party and Order and Justice, with Algirdas Butkevičius as the designated Prime Minister. President Grybauskaitė indicated that she would not accept the Labour Party as part of the government, due to the allegation of electoral fraud and fraudulent bookkeeping. The outgoing prime minister Kubilius presented the Homeland Union as an alternative coalition partner,Mindaugas Kulbis Lithuania in post-election crisis after president rejects possible govt coalition due to fraud The Washington Post Associated Press 29 October 2012 https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/lithuanian-opposition-vows-to-form-center-left-anti-austerity-government-after-election-win/2012/10/28/75070508-2162-11e2-92f8-7f9c4daf276a_story.htmlJune 2021 medicmedic a suggestion that Butkevičius quickly rejected.Patrick Lannin Andrius Sytas Lithuania president vetoes coalition in vote fraud row Reuters 29 October 2012 After the longest period of government formation in modern Lithuanian history, a coalition government consisting of Social Democrats, Labour, Order and Justice and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania was appointed in December. President Grybauskaitė confirmed the government after initially rejecting all of the ministers proposed by the Labour Party.http://lietuvosdiena.lrytas.lt/aktualijos/16-oji-lietuvos-vyriausybe-pradeda-darba-papildyta.htm Artūras Jančys 16-oji Lietuvos Vyriausybė pradeda darbą (papildyta) Lithuanian The 16th Government of Lithuania starts work 13 December 2012 Lietuvos Rytas 28 October 2015 25 April 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160425003754/http://lietuvosdiena.lrytas.lt/aktualijos/16-oji-lietuvos-vyriausybe-pradeda-darba-papildyta.htm dead References 33em Category:Parliamentary elections in Lithuania Lithuania Parliamentary