SEIMAS (Parliament of Lithuania)

Gediminas Kazėnas [email protected]

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

 1447 privilege of GDL Kazimieras − Noblemens and their peasants were exempt from state tax.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

 1492 m. privilege of Alexander − GDL undertake not to pas new law without SEIMAS agreement.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

 1529 1st Lithuanian Statut: − the highest state authority which is allowed to pass the laws is Council of Lords.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

 1566 2nd Lithuanian Statut: − Has become the highest legislative organ of state. − Not every lord could come to Seimas.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

 1566 2nd Lithuanian Statut: − Has become the highest legislative organ of state. − Not every lord could come to Seimas.

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

 1569 Lublin Union − Common Seimas of Both Nations

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

 1588 3rd Lithuanian Statut: − Only Seimas can pass law; − Council of Lords is annulated.

1st written Constitution in Europe

 Seimas of 1788 – 1792 − Constitution of 1791, 3rd of May.

Great Vilnius Seimas

 1905 November 21 – 22 (December 4 – 5)

Council of Lithuania 1918

1st Republic of Lithuanian

 1918, 16th of February;  1920 – 1922 Constituent Assembly Seimas;  1922 adoption of Constitution;  1922 – 1923 1st Seimas  1923 – 1926 2nd Seimas  1926 – 1927 3rd Seimas  1926, 17th December - constitutional revolution

 1928 adoption of new Constitution  1936 – 1940 4th Seimas 2nd Republic of Lithuania

 1990 – 1992 Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas;  1991, 11th of March – Act On the Re- establishment of the State of Lithuania − Provisional Basic Law  1992, 25th of October – adoption of Constitution of Lithuania.

Seimas

 Seimas is sovereign, but bound by: − Constitution; − Referendum; − Constitutional Court; − President and veto;

Election to Seimas

 141 member of Seimas; − 70 proportional representation by party lists; − Single-member districts.  Citizen of Lithuania, not younger than 25 years old;  Not served penalty;  Early elections prepared by decision of 3/5 members of Seimas or in sertain situations by President.

Structure of Seimas

 Speaker of the Seimas  Board of the Seimas  Assembly of Elders  Members of the Seimas  Committees  Commissions  Political Groups in the Seimas

Speaker of the Seimas

 direct the work of the Seimas and represent the Seimas;  temporarily act as President of the Republic;  propose to the Seimas candidatures to Constitutional Court judges;  submit drafts of the work

programmes of a session. Board of the Seimas

 Task of the Board of the Seimas is to settle organisational issues of the work of the Seimas and give advice to the Speaker of the Seimas, if he requests so.  The Board of the Seimas consist of the Speaker of Seimas, Deputy Speakers and the leader of the opposition.  Committees and political groups may appeal against the decisions of the Board of the Seimas to the Seimas. Assembly of Elders

 Idea is to keep contact between political groups of Seimas.  Consists of: − members of the Board of the Seimas − representatives of the parliamentary groups.  One representative for every ten members.  Principal task is consider and approve work programmes of the Seimas session, to co-

ordinate work of the committees and parliamentary groups. Committiees

 Are formed on 1st sesion for the consideration of draft laws and other issues ;  No less than 7 and no more than 17 Seimas members acording proportional system.

Political groups

 Are formed according political beliefs;  To be registered, political group should be not less than 7 members; − National Revival Political Group − Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrat Political Group − Order and Justice Political Group − Lithuanian Social Democratic Party Political Group − Liberals Movement Political Group − Labour Party Political Group − Liberal and Centre Political Group − Non-affiliated Members Thank you