| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Seimas / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
10 October 2004 |
| Timing and scope of renewal |
Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. |
Lithuanians went to the polls on 10 October 2004 in the country's first parliamentary election since joining NATO and the European Union in May 2004.
In all
twenty political parties contested the elections. Some 1
193 candidates stood in the 70 constituencies where the vote was proportional
while some 607 stood in the 71 remaining single-member constituencies. A second round ballot was scheduled to take place on 24 October in those of the 67 constituencies where no candidate received more than half the vote.
Public opinion polls indicated that the Labour Party
founded in 2003 and headed by a wealthy Russian-born businessman
Mr. Viktor Uspaskich
was likely to emerge as the largest group in Parliament. The governing left-wing coalition "Working for Lithuania" of the Social Democrat and Social Liberal parties
led by Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas and parliamentary Speaker Arturas Paulauskas
was predicted to come in second
followed by the Homeland Union and the Liberal Centre Union.
During the electoral campaign
Mr. Uspaskich promised higher living standards and war on political corruption. His party's message was welcomed in rural areas
where people felt they had been left behind by surging prosperity in the cities
and among many urban voters who declared corruption to be their number one concern. The ruling coalition campaigned using the results of the three and a half years they had spent in power
a record in longevity in independent Lithuania's history. They promised a number of social measures such as an increase in the average salary and retirement pensions over the next four years. Both coalition parties also promised to lower the unemployment rate to 8 per cent and to increase the Lithuanian GDP by a third so that it represents 60 per cent of the European average by 2008. On the conservative side
the Homeland Union emphasised the need for a strong State
the only way
in its opinion to protect Lithuania from any possible threat from Russia.
Turnout was low
with only 46.08 per cent of registered voters casting ballots
but well above the 25 per cent threshold required to make the vote valid.
The results of the first round of elections showed that the Labour Party had polled about 28 per cent of the vote obtaining 22 of the 70 seats distributed by proportional election
and one seat from a single-seat constituency. The coalition "Working for Lithuania" was second
gaining slightly more than 20 per cent of the vote for 16 of the seats elected proportionally and 3 seats in the majority system
while the Homeland Union obtained nearly 15 per cent winning 11 seats in the nationwide constituency. The "For the Order and Justice" coalition
headed by the recently deposed President Rolandas Paksas and formed by the Liberal Democratic Party and the Lithuanian People's Union "For the Fair Lithuania"
gained 11 per cent and 9 seats
the Liberal and Centre Union 9 per cent and 7 seats and the Union of Farmers' Party and New Democracy Party coalition polled nearly 7 per cent and obtained 5 seats.
In 66 constituencies where no candidate had obtained the required majority
voters returned to the polls on 24 October 2004. In this second round
the Labour Party obtained 16 seats while the Homeland Union won 14 and the coalition "Working for Lithuania" 12. The Liberal and Centre Union obtained 11 seats
the Union of Farmers' Party and New Democracy Party 5
while the Coalition "For the Order and Justice" and the Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action one seat each. Six independent candidates also gained seats. |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 10 October 2004 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
2'664'167
1'227'301 (46.07%)
32'949
1'194'352 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Round no 2 | 24 October 2004 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
2'486'750
999'980 (40.21%)
38'066
961'914 |
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Labour Party |
140 |
340'035 |
|
|
28.44 |
|
|
| Coalition "Working for Lithuania" |
140 |
246'852 |
|
|
20.65 |
|
|
| Homeland Union |
100 |
176'409 |
|
|
14.75 |
|
|
| Coalition "For the Order and Justice" |
137 |
135'807 |
|
|
11.36 |
|
|
| Liberal and Centre Union |
141 |
109'872 |
|
|
9.19 |
|
|
| Union of Farmers' Party and New Democracy Party |
115 |
78'902 |
|
|
6.60 |
|
|
| Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action |
128 |
45'302 |
|
|
3.79 |
|
|
|
Round no 2
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Labour Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Homeland Union |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Coalition "Working for Lithuania" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal and Centre Union |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Others |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Union of Farmers' Party and New Democracy Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Coalition "For the Order and Justice" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Labour Party |
23
|
|
|
|
|
| Coalition "Working for Lithuania" |
19
|
|
|
|
|
| Homeland Union |
11
|
|
|
|
|
| Coalition "For the Order and Justice" |
9
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal and Centre Union |
7
|
|
|
|
|
| Union of Farmers' Party and New Democracy Party |
5
|
|
|
|
|
| Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
Round no 2
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Labour Party |
16
|
|
|
|
|
| Homeland Union |
14
|
|
|
|
|
| Coalition "Working for Lithuania" |
12
|
|
|
|
|
| Liberal and Centre Union |
11
|
|
|
|
|
| Others |
6
|
|
|
|
|
| Union of Farmers' Party and New Democracy Party |
5
|
|
|
|
|
| Coalition "For the Order and Justice" |
1
|
|
|
|
|
| Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action |
1
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
110
31
21.99%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
| Source: Central Electoral Committee of the Republic of Lithuania |
A historical Archive of past election results for this chamber can be found on a separate page