Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union

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Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union Lietuvos valstiečių ir žaliųjų sąjunga
Abbreviation	LVŽS
Chairman	Ramūnas Karbauskis
First Vice Chairman	Bronis Ropė
Vice Chairpeople	Kęstutis Mažeika Arvydas Nekrošius Aušrinė Norkienė Virginijus Sinkevičius
Founded	2001 (Union of Peasants and New Democratic Parties)
Merger of	Lithuanian Peasants Party New Democracy Party
Headquarters	Pamėnkalnio g. 26, Vilnius
Membership	4,312
Ideology	Green conservatism[1] Agrarianism[2][3] Technocracy[4] Pro-Europeanism[5]
Political position	Centre[3][1][6]
European Parliament group	Union for Europe of the Nations (2004–2009) Greens/EFA (since 2014)
Colours	Green
Seimas	22 / 141
European Parliament (Lithuanian seats)	2 / 11
Municipal councils	218 / 1,526
Mayors	6 / 60
Website
www.lvzs.lt/lt/
Politics of Lithuania Political parties Elections

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The Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (Lithuanian: Lietuvos valstiečių ir žaliųjų sąjunga, LVŽS)^{[nb 1]} is a green-conservative^[1] and agrarian^[2] political party in Lithuania led by industrial farmer Ramūnas Karbauskis.

Following the 2020 parliamentary election, the LVŽS has been in opposition to the Šimonytė Cabinet. The party's two MEPs sit in the Greens–European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament. Founded in 2001 as the Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union, (Lithuanian: Lietuvos valstiečių liaudininkų sąjunga, LVLS), the party's symbol since 2012 has been the white stork.

History[]

Foundation and participation in the Social Democratic Party-led governments (2001–2008)[]

In December 2001, electoral alliance between the Lithuanian Peasants Party (Lietuvos valstiečių partija) and the New Democratic Party (Naujosios demokratijos partija) known as the "Valstiečių ir Naujosios demokratijos partijų sąjunga" (or VNDS), which translates to the Peasants and New Democratic Party Union or Union of Peasants and New Democratic Parties.^[7] In 2002–03 Lithuanian presidential election party's chairman Kazimira Prunskienė came with 5.04 per cent of the votes in the first round and saved its deposit. In the second round, she endorsed Rolandas Paksas of the Liberal Democratic Party, who won the election.^[8]

In 2004 presidential election (after Rolandas Packsas impeachement), Kazimira Prunskienė narrowly came to the second position (21.25 per cent), but she was defeated in the second round (although, after endorsement of Rolandas Paksas).^[9] In 2004 European Parliament election, the party got 7.41 per cent of the votes and won one seat by Gintaras Didžiokas. He joined the Union for Europe of the Nations. In Seimas election later tahat same year, the party got 6.6 per cent of the votes. The Labour Party joined forces with Peasants and New Democratic Party Union and invited the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania to join.^[10] Brazauskas initially ruled out a coalition with Labour,^[11] but eventually Social Democrats and New Union (Social Liberals) joined forces with the Labour Party and the Peasants, with Brazauskas as the Prime Minister.^[12]

In February 2006, the Peasants and New Democratic Party Union led by Lithuanian politician Kazimiera Prunskienė chose to rename itself Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union (after the pre-war Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union). The party itself was main force in the Social Democratic Party-led governments.

In 2008 parliamentary election the party felt below 5 per cent threeshold and was left with three members, who were elected in single-member constituencies.

Opposition and leading force in the government (2009–2020)[]

In 2009 Kazimira Prunskienė left the party and founded the party of her own (Lithuanian People's Party).^[13] Although the party was minor one, it gained some influence in 2010, when it supported the Homeland Union-led government. The Lithuanian Peasants Popular Union changed its name to the Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union in January 2012.

The party emerged as a dark horse in the electoral race in the spring of 2016. The rise of support was attributed to the popularity of Karbauskis, who had been active in campaigning against alcohol, and their lack of involvement in political scandals.^[14] LVŽS was further boosted by the announcement that Saulius Skvernelis, a Minister of Interior in Butkevičius Cabinet and one of the most popular politicians in Lithuania, would head the party's electoral list in the elections, without joining the party.^[15][16]

After successful performance in the 2016 parliamentary elections, a clarification about its English name format was issued, changing it to Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union.^[17] Also, after these election the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union became one of the main three political parties in Lithuania (along with the Homeland Union and the Social Democratic Party).^[18]

After these elections, various pundits claimed that the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union could form coalition with the Homeland Union,^[19] but Ramūnas Karbauskis proposed wide coalition between aforementioned parties and the Social Democratic Party. The Homeland Union's leader Gabrielius Landsbergis himself proposed coalition between the Homeland Union, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Liberal Movement, although both Ramūnas Karbauskis and Liberal Movement's leader Eugenijus Gentvilas turned down this offer.^[20] Eventually, coalition was formed between the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, which lasted until the autumn of 2017.

Party's support gradually declined by 2018 (e. g. in 2019 European Parliament election the party got 11.92 per cent of the votes), although due to the rally 'round the flag effect (caused by the COVID-19 pandemic), its support rebounded. In 2020 parliamentary election the party won 18.07 per cent of the vote and 32 parliamentary seats.^[21] The party has been in opposition since 2020.^[22]

Again in opposition (from 2020)[]

After the elections, Ramūnas Karbauskis resigned from parliamentary seat. After electoral loss the party started to support (along with the Labour Party) various radical movements on political fringes (e. g. Families' Defense March). This position caused disagreements within party and its parliamentary group.

Disagreements had forced split in parliamentary group in late summer and early autumn of 2021 with former Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis joining newly established Democrats' parliamentary group "For Lithuania" (although this split was speculated by the pundits as early as March of 2021).^[23] Due to this and Social Democratic Party's position not to support opposition coalition, the party lost opposition leader's position.

Electoral results[]

Seimas[]

Election	Votes[a]	%	Seats	+/–	Government
2004	78,902[b]	6.6 (#6)	10 / 141	4	Coalition
2008	46,162	3.7 (#9)	3 / 141	3	Opposition
2012	53,141	3.9 (#8)	1 / 141	2	Opposition
2016	274,108	22.4 (#1)	54 / 141	53	Coalition
2020	204,780	18.1 (#2)	32 / 141	22	Opposition

European Parliament[]

Election	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
2004	89,338	7.4 (#5)	1 / 13
2009	10,285	1.8 (#11)	0 / 12	1
2014	75,643	6.2 (#7)	1 / 11	1
2019	157,604	11.9 (#3)	2 / 11	1

Current Members of the Seimas[]

Parliamentarian	From	Constituency
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Akmenė-Mažeikiai
	2016	Garliava
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
Rima Baškienė	2004	Kuršėnai-
	2016	Aukštaitija
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Radviliškis
	2016	Marijampolė
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
Stasys Jakeliūnas	2016	Multi-member Constituency
Jonas Jarutis	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Kėdainiai
Ramūnas Karbauskis	2016 (1996–2004)	Šilainiai
	2016	Marių
	2016	Nalšia
	2016	Baltijos
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
Bronius Markauskas	2016 (2004–2008)	Gargždai
	2016	Sėla
	2016	Kaišiadorys-Elektrėnai
Kęstutis Mažeika	2016	Sūduva
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Šilutė
Arvydas Nekrošius	2016	Raseiniai-Kėdainiai
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
Aušrinė Norkienė	2016	Tauragė
	2016	Kalniečiai
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
Viktoras Pranckietis	2016	Raudondvaris
Mindaugas Puidokas	2016	Aleksotas-Vilijampolė
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Kelmė-Šiauliai
	2016 (2000–2008)	Multi-member Constituency
	2000	Saulės
Virginijus Sinkevičius	2016	Šeškinė
Saulius Skvernelis	2016	Karoliniškės
Kęstutis Smirnovas	2016	Vilkaviškis
	2016	Dainava
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Kuršas
	2016	Lazdijai-Druskininkai
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Alytus
	2016	Biržai-Kupiškis
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Aušros
	2012	Vakarinė
	2016	Dzūkija
	2000	Multi-member Constituency
	2016	Ukmergė
	2016	Petrašiūnai
Aurelijus Veryga	2016	Panemunė
	2016	Multi-member Constituency

Name[]

• 2001 – Dec 2005: Peasants and New Democratic Party Union or Union of Peasants and New Democratic Parties (Valstiečių ir Naujosios demokratijos partijų sąjunga/VNDS)
• Dec 2005 – Jan 2012: Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union (Lietuvos valstiečių liaudininkų sąjunga/LVLS)
• Jan 2012 – Feb 2017: Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union (Lietuvos valstiečių ir žaliųjų sąjunga/LVŽS)
• Feb 2017 – present: Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (Lietuvos valstiečių ir žaliųjų sąjunga/LVŽS)

See also[]

• Union of Greens and Farmers (Latvia)

References[]

External links[]

• Official English web page