| Politics Of Lithuania |
Article Index for Politics Of |
Website Links For Politics |
Information AboutPolitics Of Lithuania |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT POLITICS OF LITHUANIA | |
| politics of lithuaniapolitics of lithuania | |
| lithuania | |
| european politics | |
| politics by country | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
|
Politics of Lithuania takes place in a framework of a Parliamentary Representative Democratic Republic , whereby the Prime Minister Of Lithuania is the Head Of Government , and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive Power is exercised by the government. Federal Legislative Power is vested in both the Government and the Seimas . The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS All major parties have declared their support for Lithuania's membership in NATO and the European Union (EU). Lithuania joined NATO on March 29 , 2004 and joined the EU on May 1 , 2004 . Since 1991, Lithuanian voters have shifted from right to left and back again, swinging between the Conservatives, led by Vytautas Landsbergis , and the (formerly Communist ) Democratic Labour Party Of Lithuania , led by former president Algirdas Brazauskas . This pattern was broken in the October 2000 elections when the Liberal Union and New Union parties won the most votes and were able to form a centrist ruling coalition with minor partners. President Adamkus played a key role in bringing the new centrist parties together. The leader of the center-left New Union (also known as the Social Liberal party), Artūras Paulauskas, became the Chairman of the Seimas. The government of Rolandas Paksas got off to a rocky start and collapsed within seven months. In July 2001, the center-left New Union party forged an alliance with the Social Democratic Party Of Lithuania and formed a new cabinet under former president Algirdas Brazauskas. The cabinet of Algirdas Brazauskas is made up mostly of nonparty technocrats and has emphasized the need for financial discipline. The government remains focused on NATO and EU membership goals. EXECUTIVE BRANCH The Lithuanian Head Of State is the President , elected directly for a five-year term, maximum two terms consecutively. President also functions as the commander-in-chief and oversees foreign and security policy. The president, on the approval of the parliament (Seimas), also appoints the Prime Minister and on the latter's nomination, appoints the rest of the Cabinet , as well as a number of other top civil servants and the judges for all courts. The current President is Valdas Adamkus , who followed interim President Artūras Paulauskas after former President Rolandas Paksas was impeached in April 2004 .
|