SHARECountry Data
Lithuania (Republic of Lithuania) has a Unicameral parliament with the use of voluntary party quotas. 40 of 141 (28%) seats in the Seimas / Parliament are held by women.
At a glance
Structure of Parliament: Unicameral
Are there legislated quotas...
- For the Single/Lower House? No
- For the Sub-National Level? No
Are there voluntary quotas...
- Adopted by political parties? Yes
Is there additional information?...
- No
Last updated: Sep 14, 2022
Single/Lower House
Seimas / Parliament
| Total seats | 141 |
| Total Women | 40 |
| % Women | 28% |
| 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 (English version)
- Law on Presidential Elections (English version)
OTHER SOURCES:
- Women's Watch 2012-2013: Lituania
- Interparliamentary Union [IPU] Parline - Lithuania Country Profile
Additional reading
- See the latest updates on Lithuania on iKNOW Politics
- Vojvodić, A. Lingering legacies and emerging progress: explaining gender quota adoption in Central and Eastern Europe. doi:10.7282/t3-mrg8-9915
- Eurydice. (March 31, 2021). Lithuania: Political and economic situation.
- 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.