- Lithuanian Nationalist Union
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Lithuanian Nationalist Union
Lietuvių tautininkų sąjunga
Leader Gintaras Songaila Headquarters Vilnius Ideology Lithuanian nationalism
Conservatism
National conservatism
Right-wing populismPolitical position Right-wing International affiliation None European affiliation None European Parliament Group None Official colours Blue, Gold Website www.tautininkai.lt Politics of Lithuania
Political parties
ElectionsThe Lithuanian Nationalist Union (Lithuanian: Lietuvių tautininkų sąjunga), also known as the Nationalists (Tautininkai), was a nationalist, right-wing political party in Lithuania, founded in 1924 when the Party of National Progress merged with the Lithuanian Farmers' Association. It was the ruling party of Lithuania from the 1926 Lithuanian coup d'état in December 1926 to the Soviet occupation in June 1940. The party was re-established when Lithuania declared independence in 1990.
The party did not enjoy popular support and in the May 1926 parliamentary elections managed to win only 3 seats out of 85. However, its leaders Antanas Smetona and Augustinas Voldemaras were popular and influential public figures. The party was conservative and nationalistic; it stressed the need for a strong army and a strong leader.
During the December 1926 coup the military deposed the democratically elected government and invited Smetona to become the new President of Lithuania and Voldemaras the new Prime Minister. The Nationalists and the Lithuanian Christian Democrats formed a new government. However, the relationship between the two parties soon became tense as Christian Democrats regarded the coup as a temporary measure and wished to hold new elections to the Seimas. In April 1927 Smetona dissolved the Seimas and in May Christian Democrats resigned from the government. The Nationalists remained the only party in power for another thirteen years.
After the party was re-established in 1990, it played a diminishing role in Lithuanian politics. In the elections of the Seimas of 1992 the Lithuanian National Union won 4 places; in 1996 - 3 places, and since 2000 it has no representatives. The number of representatives in the regional municipalities is also diminishing: the party won 49 mandates in 1995, 23 in 1997, 13 in 2000, 14 in 2002 and 3 in 2007 elections.
The last leader and chairman of the party was Gintaras Songaila.
On March 11, 2008 Lithuanian Nationalist Union merged in to Homeland Union, but in 2011 they announced their withdrawal from it.
References
- Simas Sužiedėlis, ed (1970-1978). "National movement". Encyclopedia Lituanica. IV. Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius. pp. 35. LCC 74-114275.
- (Lithuanian) "Lietuvių tautininkų sąjungos istorija". Lithuanian Nationalists Union. http://www.lts.lt/istorija.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-25.
External links
- (Lithuanian) Lithuanian Nationalist Union official website
Political parties in Lithuania 
Parties in
the SeimasHomeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (46) · Social Democratic Party (24) · Order and Justice (14) · Liberal and Centre Union (13) · Liberal Movement (12) · Labour Party (11) · Christian Party (8) · Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (3) · Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union (3)Other parties Lithuanian Russian Union · Lithuanian Nationalists Union · Youth · Young Lithuania · Civic Democratic Party · Lithuanian Social Democratic Union · Lithuanian Centre Party · Party of National Progress · Lithuanian Liberty League · Socialist Party of Lithuania · Socialist People's Front · National Democratic Party of Lithuania · Unified Lithuanian National Workers Movement · Lithuanian Patriotic Union · Samogitian PartyCategories:- Nationalist parties
- Political parties established in 1924
- Political parties in Lithuania
- 1924 establishments in Lithuania
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