Liberalism in Lithuania

This article gives an overview of liberalism in Lithuania. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. For inclusion in this scheme it isn't necessary so that parties labeled themselves as a liberal party.

Background

Liberalism was a major force in Lithuania since 1902. Next to the urban citizens, agrarian liberal parties became active.

History

After the restoration of independence in 1990 liberal parties arose again. Currently, the Liberal Movement is a centre-right liberal party and the Liberal and Centre Union (Liberalų ir centro sąjunga) is a center liberal party. Both parties are the members of European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.

Lithuanian Democratic Party

• 1902: Liberal intellectuals and dissident social democrats formed the Lithuanian Democratic Party (Lietuvių Demokratų Partija).
• 1905: The LDP sponsored the forming of the ⇒ Lithuanian Peasants Union
• 1914: The LDP is renamed into Democratic Party of Lithuania (Lietuvos Demokratų Partija)
• 1917: A left wing faction formed the Lithuanian Popular Socialist Democratic Party and a moderate faction formed the ⇒ Democratic National Freedom League.
• 1920: The party is dissolved

From Lithuanian Peasants' Union top Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union

• 1905: The ⇒ Lithuanian Democratic Party sponsored the foundation of the Lithuanian Peasants' Union (Lietuvos Valstiečių Sąjunga), a party working under supervision of the LDP
• 1920: The party became an independent party
• 1922: The party merged with the ⇒ Lithuanian Socialist Popular Democratic Party into the Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union (Lietuvos Valstiečių Liaudininkų Sąjunga) under the leadership of Mykolas Sleževičius and Kazys Grinius
• 1935: The party is banned, but continued in exile
• 1990: As a pure agrarian party it is refounded

Lituanian Socialist Popular Democratic Party

• 1917: A left wing faction of the ⇒ Lithuanian Democratic Party formed the Lithuanian Popular Socialist Democratic Party (Lietuvos Socialistų Liaudininkų Demokratų Partija)
• 1922: The party merged with the ⇒ Lithuanian Peasants' Union into the ⇒ Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union

From Democratic National Freedom League to Farmers Party

• 1917: A moderate faction of the ⇒ Lithuanian Democratic Party formed the Democratic National Freedom League (Demokratinė Tautos Laisvės Santara)
• 1925: The party is renamed into the Farmers Party (Ūkininkų Partija)
• 1928: The party is banned, but continued in exile

From Lithuanian Liberal Union to Liberal and Centre Union

• 1990: In newly independent Lithuania liberals formed the Lithuanian Liberal Union (Lietuvos Liberalų Sąjunga)
• 2002: A populist faction formed the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberalų Demokratų Partija)
• 2003 : The party merged with the ⇒ Lithuanian Centre Union and the Modern Christian Democratic Union into the Liberal and Centre Union (Liberalų ir centro sąjunga)

Lithuanian Centre Union

• 1993: The Lithuanian Centre Union (Lietuvos Centro Sąjunga) is founded
• 2003: The party merged into the ⇒ Liberal and Centre Union

New Union Social Liberals

• 1998: Artūras Paulauskas launched the New Union Social Liberals (Naujoji Sąjunga-socialliberalai)
• 2011: The party merged into the ⇒ Labour Party

Liberal Movement

• 2006: The Liberals' Movement of the Republic of Lithuania was formed by the dissident members of the Liberal and Centre Union

Liberal leaders

• Jonas Vileišis - Mykolas Sleževičius - Kazys Grinius - Petras Auštrevičius

See also

• History of Lithuania
• Politics of Lithuania
• List of political parties in Lithuania