Liberals' Movement (Lithuania)

History

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

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. 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" (), which amplified the possibility to win over the Liberal and Centre Union and the Homeland Union. 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).

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

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. 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.

In preparations for the 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.

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.

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

The Liberals' Movement is generally described as a centrist or centre-right party.

The party is economically liberal and ran on a platform of cutting taxation and legalizing gender-neutral partnerships during the 2020 Lithuanian parliamentary election.

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.

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.

Popular support

Main party support is coming from urban areas (notably, from Klaipėda). 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).

Election results

Seimas

European Parliament

Members of the European Parliament

Members of Seimas

Mayors

Vice-mayors

Notes

References

References

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13. Antanavičius, Ugnius. (13 May 2016). "Pokerio žaidėjas, tapęs liberalų vedliu: įdomiausi A.Guogos biografijos faktai".
14. "Liberalai tarė savo žodį dėl lyderio: partijai vadovaus Eugenijus Gentvilas".
15. "Armonaitė traukiasi iš Liberalų sąjūdžio vicepirmininkių".
16. (5 November 2018). "Liberalų sąjūdis byra toliau – partiją palieka ir Vytautas Grubliauskas".
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18. (22 August 2023). "Lithuania country profile".
19. (8 April 2021). "Lithuanian government's first 100 days in office: Liberal parties compete on being more liberal?".
20. "Liberalų sąjūdis".
21. (12 February 2022). "Liberalų maištininkai – patogioje situacijoje: ir savi toleruoja, ir svetimi gundo".
22. "Liberalų sąjūdžio atstovai ramūs: Neblogi rezultatai – net kaimų apylinkėse".
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24. "Rezultatai – VRK.lt".
25. "Rezultatai – VRK.lt".
26. "Liberals Movement Political Group".
27. "Merai ir vicemerai".