1993 Lithuanian presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Lithuania on 14 February 1993.[1] They were the first presidential elections under the new October 1992 constitution and since the declaration of independence in March 1990. Algirdas Brazauskas, the former first secretary of the Communist Party of Lithuania and leader of the Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania (LDDP), won with over 60% of the vote. The runner up was Stasys Lozoraitis, an independent candidate endorsed by the Sąjūdis movement and other political parties.[2]

1993 Lithuanian presidential election
14 February 1993
 
Nominee Algirdas Brazauskas Stasys Lozoraitis
Party Democratic Labour Independent
Popular vote 1,212,075 772,922
Percentage 61.06% 38.94%
President before election

Algirdas Brazauskas (acting)
Democratic Labour

 Elected President

Algirdas Brazauskas
Democratic Labour

Campaign

Under Brazauskas' leadership, the LDDP had won 73 out of 141 seats in the Seimas in the 1992 parliamentary elections.[3] Brazauskas was subsequently appointed as Speaker, and by virtue of that position, also became acting president. Based on the success of the LDDP in the parliamentary elections, Brazauskas was considered favorite for the presidential elections.[2] Vytautas Landsbergis, leader of the pro-independence Sąjūdis movement, withdrew his candidacy in support of Stasys Lozoraitis,[2] a Lithuanian diplomat, who had spent almost all of his life in Italy and the United States representing the interwar independent Lithuania. Because of the Iron Curtain, his work was virtually unknown in Lithuania. No other candidates came forward as other parties with the exception of the Polish minority declared their support for Lozoraitis as they had become alarmed by the dominance of Brazauskas and the LDDP.[4][5]

The campaign time was limited to three weeks. Lozoraitis stressed his experience in complex foreign affairs.[2] Brazauskas, operating in a familiar environment, was better prepared to address domestic affairs and promised to focus on a smooth transition from planned economy to free market.[5] During the campaign, Lozoraitis was labeled as a foreigner who did not understand the current situation of Lithuania and was largely dependent on the unpopular Sąjūdis.[2] Valdas Adamkus, who went on to win the 1997–98 presidential elections, assisted Lozoraitis in his campaign.[6]

Results

Brazauskas received a majority of the vote everywhere except Kaunas, and did particularly well in areas inhabited by the Russian and Polish minorities.[2] Because he won more than 50% of the vote in the first round, a second round was not needed.

CandidatePartyVotes%
Algirdas BrazauskasDemocratic Labour Party of Lithuania1,212,07561.06
Stasys LozoraitisIndependent772,92238.94
Invalid/blank votes34,018–
Total2,019,015100
Registered voters/turnout2,568,01678.62
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Aftermath

The inauguration ceremony took place on 25 February.[5] In May 1993, just a few months after the elections, Brazauskas recalled Lozoraitis as ambassador to the United States despite criticism of politicizing the issue.[7]

References
  1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1201 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Vardys, Vytas Stanley; Judith B. Sedaitis (1997). Lithuania: The Rebel Nation. Westview Series on the Post-Soviet Republics. WestviewPress. pp. 199–201. ISBN 0-8133-1839-4.
  3. Popescu, Marina; Martin Hannavy (12 December 2002). "1992 Parliamentary Elections". Project on Political Transformation and the Electoral Process in Post-Communist Europe. University of Essex. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  4. Lieven, Anatol (1994). The Baltic revolution: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and the path to independence (2nd ed.). Yale University Press. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-300-06078-2.
  5. Kašauskienė, Vanda (2007). Lietuvos Respublikos Vyriausybės. Jų kaita ir veiklos bruožai 1990–2007 (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Gairės. pp. 200–2003. ISBN 978-9955-759-07-2.
  6. Lane, Thomas (2001). Lithuania: Stepping Westward. Routledge. p. 146. ISBN 0-415-26731-5.
  7. Ashbourne, Alexandra (1999). Lithuania: the rebirth of a nation, 1991–1994. Lexington Books. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-7391-0027-1.
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