Lithuania
Parliamentary Elections
Electoral system
- Unicameral parliament
- Name: Parliament (Seimas)
- Members: 141
- Term: 4 years
- Constituencies: 71 single-member constituencies; 1 multi-member (70 seats) nationwide constituency.
- Voting system: Mixed system: A candidate shall be considered elected in a single-member constituency, if not less than 40 percent of the registered voters of that constituency have participated in the elections, and the said candidate has received more than half the votes cast by the registered voters. If less than 40 percent of the registered voters of that constituency have participated in the elections, the candidate who has received the majority, but not less than one-fifth of the votes cast by all the registered voters of that constituency, shall be considered to have been elected. If more than two candidates have participated in the elections and none has been elected pursuant to above-mentioned procedure, a second poll is held after two weeks, in which the two candidates who have received the majority of votes shall participate In this case, the candidate who has received more votes, regardless of the number of voters, shall be considered to have been elected. In the event of a tie, the candidate who received more votes during the initial poll shall be declared elected. If both candidates received an equal amount of votes during the initial poll, lots are drawn to determine the winner.
Nationwide party-list proportional system, on the basis of the simple quotient and greatest remainders rules, with the country as a whole forming one constituency (for 70 seats). In order for the election to be valid, at least 25% of the electorate must have cast its vote. - Voter requirements: 18 years of age; Lithuanian citizenship.
- Voting is not compulsory.
Latest election
The latest general elections in Lithuania took place on 12 and 26 October, 2008. Of the 15 parties standing for election, only six crossed the 5 percent threshold; and the only coalition, DP+j (Dabo partija + jaunimas) , crossed the 7 percent threshold. The Conservatives (TS-LKD) emerged as the victorious party with 19.72 percent of the vote and 45 seats. After the election TS-LKD formed a coalition with the Liberal Movement of the Republic of Lithuania (LRLS), the Liberal and Centre Union (LCS) and the National Resurrection Party (TPP).
Election results 2008, main parties. Constituencies
Sources
Rose, R. and N. Munro (2003). Elections and Parties in New European Democracies. Washington DC: CQ Press.
Inter-Parliamentary Union, PARLINE database on national parliaments
Central Electoral Committee of the Republic of Lithuania: http://www.vrk.lt/en/
