1996 Lithuanian parliamentary election

1996 Lithuanian parliamentary election
Lithuania
← 1992 20 October 1996 (first round)
10 November 1996 (second round)
2000 →

All 141 seats in the Seimas
71 seats needed for a majority
Turnout52.92% Decrease
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
TS Vytautas Landsbergis 31.34 70 New
LKDP Algirdas Saudargas 10.43 16 +6
LDDP Česlovas Juršėnas 10.01 12 −61
LCS Romualdas Ozolas 8.67 14 +12
LSDP Aloyzas Sakalas 6.94 12 +4
JL Stanislovas Buškevičius 4.01 1 +1
LMP Kazimira Prunskienė 3.86 1 New
KDS Kazys Bobelis 3.24 1 0
LLRA Jan Sienkiewicz 3.13 3 −1
LPA Mečislovas Vaškovič 2.55 1 New
LTSLDP R. Smetona & S. Pečeliūnas 2.20 3 −1
LLS Ginutis Vencius 1.93 1 +1
LVP Albinas Vaižmužis 1.75 1 New
LPKTS Audrius Butkevičius 1.57 1 −1
Independents 4 +3
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Prime Minister before Prime Minister after
Laurynas Stankevičius
LDDP
Gediminas Vagnorius
TS
Ballot paper

Parliamentary elections were held in Lithuania in two stages on 20 October and 10 November 1996.[1] All 141 seats in the Seimas were up for election; 70 based on proportional party lists and 71 in single member constituencies. Where no candidate gained more than 50% of the vote on 20 October, a run-off was held on 10 November.

The first round of the elections was held concurrently with a referendum to amend Articles 55, 57 and 131 of the constitution, and a referendum on the use of proceeds from privatization. The second round was held concurrently with a referendum to amend Article 47 of the constitution. Due to a low turnout, none of the referendum questions succeeded in getting approval from at least 50% of registered voters.

The result was a victory for the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Conservatives, which won 70 seats. They formed a coalition with second-place Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party. The Homeland Union benefited from dissatisfaction with the ruling Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania, which had failed to reignite the economy and was plagued by financial scandals. Gediminas Vagnorius was subsequently appointed as the Prime Minister.

  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1201 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7