Ethnicity: Lithuanian 80.6%, Russian 8.7%, Polish 7%, Belarusian 1.6%.
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Capital: Vilnius
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Electoral authority: The Central Elections
Committee conducts national elections.
Freedom House rating:
Political Rights 1, Civil Liberties 2
Political history
The mediaeval Lithuanian kingdom was united with Poland through a dynastic marriage in
1386, and was fully integrated into Poland by the Union of Lublin in 1569. The three
partitions of Poland, in 1772, 1793 and 1795, saw Lithuania divided between Russia and
Prussia (later Germany). The Lithuanians, a Baltic people distinct from the Slavic populations
around them, were subject to foreign rule for over a century.
When the Russian Empire collapsed in 1918, an independent state was established
under German control. Full independence as a republic was declared on Germany's
surrender in November 1918. Independent Lithuania was democracy until 1926, when
a military coup brought Antanas Smetona to power as a dictator. In 1940, under the secret
clauses of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, the Soviet Union forced Lithuania to accept occupation,
which was rapidly followed by incorporation into the USSR as the Lithuanian Soviet
Socialist Republic.
Lithuania was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1941, then reconquered by the Soviets in 1944,
although nationalist resistance continued until 1953. Soviet rule was then unchallenged
until 1988, when the Gorbachev government lifted restrictions on political activity. In
1990 nationalist parties won local elections and in 1991, despite strong Russian
resistance and some violence, Lithuania declared its
independence. Russian forces finally withdrew from Lithuania in 1993. Lithuania has applied to
join both NATO and the European Uniuon.
Since independence, the liberal wing of the former Communist Party has
successfully repackaged itself as a social democratic party, the
Lithuanian Social-Democratic Party. The LSDP is allied
with the Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania and forms
a coalition government with
other minor parties of the left. The main opposition party is the liberal
New Union. Also on the right are the
Lithuanian Liberal Union, the
Homeland Union/Conservatives of Lithuania and the
Lithuanian Christian Democrats.
The Election Action of Lithuania's Poles represents the Polish minority.
When the Russian Empire collapsed in 1918, an independent state was established under German control. Full independence as a republic was declared on Germany's surrender in November 1918. Independent Lithuania was democracy until 1926, when a military coup brought Antanas Smetona to power as a dictator. In 1940, under the secret clauses of the Hitler-Stalin Pact, the Soviet Union forced Lithuania to accept occupation, which was rapidly followed by incorporation into the USSR as the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Lithuania was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1941, then reconquered by the Soviets in 1944, although nationalist resistance continued until 1953. Soviet rule was then unchallenged until 1988, when the Gorbachev government lifted restrictions on political activity. In 1990 nationalist parties won local elections and in 1991, despite strong Russian resistance and some violence, Lithuania declared its independence. Russian forces finally withdrew from Lithuania in 1993. Lithuania has applied to join both NATO and the European Uniuon.
Since independence, the liberal wing of the former Communist Party has successfully repackaged itself as a social democratic party, the Lithuanian Social-Democratic Party. The LSDP is allied with the Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania and forms a coalition government with other minor parties of the left. The main opposition party is the liberal New Union. Also on the right are the Lithuanian Liberal Union, the Homeland Union/Conservatives of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Christian Democrats. The Election Action of Lithuania's Poles represents the Polish minority.