The Way of Courage

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The Way of Courage
Drąsos kelias
Leader
Founded2012
HeadquartersGarliava, Vytauto g. 57-2
Membership (March 2017)2,499[1]
IdeologyPopulism[2]
Anti-corruption[3][4]
Seimas
0 / 141
Seats in the European Parliament
0 / 12
Website
http://www.drasoskeliaspartija.lt/

The Way of Courage (Lithuanian: Drąsos Kelias) is a populist[2] political party in Lithuania. It was founded in 2012 and has an anti-corruption[3][4] platform.

History[]

The party was established by supporters of Drąsius Kedys, who claimed that justice officials had whitewashed a ring of pedophiles after his daughter had been sexually molested. Kedys died under unclear circumstances in 2010. Among the party's founders is Neringa Venckienė, sister of Drąsius Kedys and former judge.

The party's name alludes to Kedys' first name Drąsius which means "the brave".[5] The goals include changes in the justice system, e.g. the establishment of trial by jury. In 2012 parliamentary election the party gained approximately 8% of the popular vote. The party had its best performance in Kaunas and Kaunas District Municipality.

After the party's leader Neringa Venckiene applied for asylum in the United States, many party members decided not to participate in the future elections because of the "exile" of their leader.[6]

The party's chairman is , a former Catholic priest, who officially left the church in February 2012. He was a constant critic of the ethics of the leaders of the church, particularly in regards to sexual abuse of children.[7]

In 2014 with impeachment of Neringa Venckienė and Valdas Vasiliauskas moving to the Order and Justice parliamentary group, the party's parliamentary group was dissolved as it had less than 7 members.[8]

In 2016 the party won just over 1 per cent of the votes and lost all representatives in parliament.

Member of Seimas (2012–2016)[]

  • Neringa Venckiene (born 1971), (MP until 2014, Impeached), Judge
  • (born 1951), Priest
  • (born 1966), Architect
  • Algirdas Vaclovas Patackas (born 1943), (MP until 2015, Died), Signer of the Lithuanian Declaration of Independence
  • Dr. Vytautas Antanas Matulevičius (born 1952), Journalist
  • Prof. (born 1948), Economist
  • (born 1951), Journalist[9]
  • Prof. dr. (born 1961), (refused to be sworn in), Journalist.
  • Prof. (born 1947), (MP from 2014), Economist
  • Audrius Nakas (born 1967), (MP from 2015), Actor

Political ideology[]

The party is considered populist. It contained a mix of political beliefs. Jonas Varkala and Algirdas Patackas were the conservative members of the party. While Vytautas Matulevičius was a liberal and one of the first Lithuanian politicians to support LGBT rights.[10] Povilas Gylys was a former member of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party and a former communist of SSSR.

References[]

  1. ^ "Eligijus Masiulis: Aš grąžinau Raimondui Kurlianskiui paskolą".
  2. ^ a b Dapkus, Liudas (14 October 2012), Poll: Ruling coalition to win Lithuanian election, Associated Press
  3. ^ a b Nordsieck, Wolfram (2016). "Lithuania". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 1 August 2020.
  4. ^ a b Beniusis, Vaidotas (14 October 2012), Austerity-weary Lithuania swings left in parliamentary election, Agence France-Presse
  5. ^ 'Anti-paedophile' party poised for parliamentary debut in Lithuania, Agence France-Presse, 13 October 2012
  6. ^ "P. Gylys traukiasi iš politikos".
  7. ^ ""Drąsos kelio" pirmininkas Jonas Varkala prašo jį suspenduoti kunigystėje".
  8. ^ https://www.15min.lt/m/id/aktualu/lietuva/drasos-kelio-frakcija-mire-valdas-vasiliauskas-pabego-pirmas-ji-priglaude-rolando-pakso-partija-56-436140
  9. ^ VRK inf. Archived 17 November 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ [https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/parlamentaras-vytautas-matulevicius-butina-iteisinti-homoseksualu-partneryste-56-643797.

External links[]


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