| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Seimas / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to) | 14 October 2012
28 October 2012 |
| Purpose of elections |
The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) led by Mr. Algirdas Butkevicius became the largest party, taking 37 of the 141 seats at stake; winning three more seats than Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius' Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD). The Labour Party followed with 29 seats.
During the campaign, the LSDP and the Labour Party criticized the Prime Minister's austerity measures including reduced pensions and public sector wages. In a referendum held in parallel with the elections, voters rejected the construction of a new nuclear power plant. The government had argued that the plant would reduce dependence on imported Russian energy.
On 22 November, Parliament elected Mr. Butkevicius (LSDP) as new Prime Minister. He subsequently proposed a coalition government comprising the LSDP, the Labour Party, the Order and Justice Party (11 seats), and the Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action (nine seats). President Dalia Grybauskaite, who initially opposed the Labour Party's participation in the government due to allegations of fraud and election-related violations, subsequently approved a 15-member Cabinet comprising four Labour members. On 13 December, Parliament approved the new Cabinet. |
Date of previous elections: 12 & 16 October 2008
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: October 2016
Number of seats at stake: 141 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: 2,071
Percentage of women candidates: Not available
Number of parties contesting the election: 27
Number of parties winning seats: 8
Alternation of power: Yes (presidential system with a change of the coalition government)
Number of parties in government: 4
Names of parties in government: Social Democrats, the Labour Party, the Order and Justice Party, and the EAPL
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 16 November 2012
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Vydas Gedvilas (Labour Party)
|
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 (from/to) | 14 October 2012
28 October 2012 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
2'588'418
1'370'014 (52.93%)
57'924
1'312'090 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Multi-member |
Single-member |
|
|
| Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) |
38
|
15 |
23 |
|
|
| Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) |
33
|
13 |
20 |
|
|
| Labour Party |
29
|
17 |
12 |
|
|
| Order and Justice Party |
12
|
6 |
6 |
|
|
| Liberals Movement of the Republic of Lithuania |
10
|
7 |
3 |
|
|
| Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action |
8
|
5 |
3 |
|
|
| The Way of Courage (DK) |
7
|
7 |
0 |
|
|
| Independents |
3
|
0 |
3 |
|
|
| Lithuanian Peasant and Green Union |
1
|
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
107
34
24.11%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Note on the distribution of seats according to sex:
The results for two seats were invalidated. As at 22 November 2012, there were 34 women out of a total of 139 members.
Fresh elections to fill the vacancies were held in March 2013 and both seats were won by male candidates. As at 9 May 2013, there were 34 women out of the full 141 members.
Sources:
Parliament (22.11.2012, 09.05.2013, 01.01.2015)
http://www.vrk.lt/2012_seimo_rinkimai/output_en/rinkimu_diena/index.html
http://www.vrk.lt/rinkimai/416_en/KandidatuSarasai/index.html |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
