Gender Quotas Database
Lithuania
Northern Europe
Single / Lower House
Seimas / Parliament
| Total seats | 141 |
| Total women | 41 |
| Percentage of women | 29% |
| Election year | 2020 |
| Electoral system | Parallel |
| Quota type | No legislated |
| Election details | IDEA Voter Turnout - IPU Parline |
Voluntary Political Party Quotas*
| Party | Official Name | Details, Quota provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Social Democratic Party | Lietuvos socialdemokratų partija (LSDP) |
Art. 58. The number of representatives of one sex in all elected party bodies and lists of candidates participating in elections may not exceed 60 per cent. After the ranking of candidates in the electoral roll, the commission nominates the candidates alternately: woman, man, starting with the candidate or candidate in the first place, every fifth place can be filled by a woman or a man. The Commission ensures that every ten has a representative of young people (under 35). When it is no longer possible to nominate candidates alternately, the remaining candidates or candidates shall be nominated in descending order of votes. Compliance with these requirements is monitored by departmental and party ethics and procedures commissions, as appropriate. If, after the vote of the body forming the elected body or the electoral list, it is not possible to form the elected body or the electoral list from the nominated candidates (LSDP Statues). |
* Only political parties represented in parliament are included. When a country has legislated quotas in place, only political parties that have voluntary quotas that exceed the percentage/number of the national quota legislation are presented in this table.
Additional information
Lithuania does not regulate any gender quotas for the Lower Camera or the Sub-national Level. The Social Democratic Party states that the number of representatives of one sex in all elected party bodies and lists of candidates participating in elections may not exceed 60 per cent (LSDP Statutes).
The parliamentary elections has not been won twice consecutively by any political party. The COVID pandemic instigated a health crisis along with financial deficits and an increase in unemployment rates (adapted from Matačiūnaitė-Boyce, October 30, 2020).
Sources
LEGAL SOURCES:
- Constitution of Lithuania - Link
- Election Law (amendments) - Link
- Political Parties Law - Link
OTHER SOURCES:
- Parliament of Lithuania - Link
- Electoral Commission - Link
- Women's Watch 2012-2013: Lituania
- Interparliamentary Union [IPU] Parline - Lithuania Country Profile
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Lithuania on iKNOW Politics
- Eurydice. (March 31, 2021). Lithuania: Political and economic situation.
- Vojvodić, A. Lingering legacies and emerging progress: explaining gender quota adoption in Central and Eastern Europe. doi:10.7282/t3-mrg8-9915
- Frankienė, I., Šidlauskienė, V., Juknevičienė, V., Balciunas, S. & Mejere, O. (2020). Women’s political representation at local self-government in Lithuania: the case of mayors. doi:10.5771/9783748907190-91
- Lapinske, L. (November 16, 2020). Women leadership in politics: Lithuanian parliamentary elections 2020. Spear Project.
- Platūkytė, D. (October 30, 2020). Women at the top: transformation of Lithuania's political culture or excuse to do nothing? Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija [LRT]
- Purvaneckiene, G. (1999). ‘Women's and Gender Equality Issues in the Parliamentary Election Programs of Lithuania's Political Parties.’ Politics Towards Women and Women in Politics. Vilnius: Women's Issues Information Centre. pp. 33-61.
- Lithuanian Parliament website, http://www.lrs.lt/
- Reingardienė, J. (n.d.). Gender politics in Lithuania. A case of gender-based violence against women in the family.
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