Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic

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"Supreme Soviet of Lithuania" redirects here. For the 1990–1992 legislative body, see Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas.
Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR

Lietuvos TSR Aukščiausioji Taryba
Верховный Совет Литовской ССР
 
Russian Drama Theatre of Lithuania, Vilnius (1947–1981)
Soviet Palace, Vilnius
(1981–1990, pictured)

The Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR (

Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania
.

Organization

The structure and functions of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR were copied from the

Russian Drama Theater of Lithuania.[3]

In between the session the Presidium acted on behalf of the Supreme Soviet. The representatives were elected in general elections every four (since 1975 – every five) years.[4] The elections were held in February 1947, February 1951, February 1955, March 1959, March 1963, March 1967, June 1971, June 1975, February 1980, February 1985, and February 1990.[3] All candidates had to be pre-approved by the CPL, which did not allow any members of the opposition to run. The candidates were selected so that each Soviet had the same proportion of social groups; for example, women comprised about a third of the delegates, factory workers about a half. According to official results, voter turnout reached 97.91% during the 1947 elections.[5] Other elections, except for the one in February 1990, were similarly staged. One delegate represented approximately 10,000 people; thus the number of delegates grew from 180 in 1947 to 350 in 1980.[3]

Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet

The chairman of the Supreme Soviet was the presiding officer (speaker) of that legislature.

Chairman From To Notes
Boleslavas Baranauskas August 25, 1940 1951 In RSFSR exile 1941–1944 due to World War II
Feliksas Bieliauskas 1951 1955
Vladas Niunka 1955 April 18, 1963
Antanas Barkauskas April 18, 1963 December 24, 1975
Ringaudas Songaila December 24, 1975 January 16, 1981
Lionginas Šepetys June 1981 March 10, 1990
Vytautas Landsbergis March 11, 1990 March 11, 1990 Became chairman of the Reconstituent Seimas

Presidium of the Supreme Soviet

Composition of the Supreme Soviet[6]
Year 1967 1971 1975 1980
Number of deputies 290 300 320 350
Members of
CPSU
 67% 68% 67% 67%
Factory workers 51% 50% 50% 50%
Women 32% 32% 34% 35%
Youth representatives 11% 17% 20% 20%
With higher education 42% 45% 48% 51%
Re-elected deputies 31% 31% 33% 30%

The presidium was the permanent body of the Supreme Soviet. Its chairman was the de jure head of state. The presidium (chairman, two deputy chairmen, secretary, and 13 other members) was elected during the first session of the Soviet.[7] Formally it had great power while the Supreme Soviet was not in session. For example, it could ratify international treaties or amend laws.[7] However, in reality it was a rubber stamp institution for the CPL and de facto head of state was the First Secretary of the CPL.[2]

The chairmen of the presidium were:[5]

Name From To Notes
Justas Paleckis August 25, 1940 April 14, 1967 In RSFSR exile 1941–1944 due to World War II
Motiejus Šumauskas April 14, 1967 December 24, 1975
Antanas Barkauskas December 24, 1975 November 18, 1985
Ringaudas Songaila November 18, 1985 December 7, 1987
Vytautas Astrauskas December 7, 1987 January 15, 1990
Algirdas Brazauskas January 15, 1990 March 11, 1990

Declaration of independence

Main article:
1990 Lithuanian parliamentary election
Leaders of the Supreme Council of Lithuania on 11 March 1990, after the promulgation of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania

The Soviet became an important political battleground since 1988. Inspired and encouraged by

occupation of Lithuania in 1940, granted religious freedom, adopted citizenship law, enacted new truly democratic election law reducing the number of delegates to 141, abolished political monopoly of the Communist Party allowing other parties to run in the next election.[8] The delegates struggled with changed duties. About 100 of conservative, pro-Soviet delegates did not attend the sessions. Others, accustomed to blindly following orders from top, voted according to the wishes of the presidium and displayed political immaturity. For example, during a vote to appoint Kazimira Prunskienė as a deputy Prime Minister, 100 votes were cast against her during a secret ballot. When the vote was repeated, this time in public, not a single delegate voted against her and only a few abstained.[8] In August 1989, the Soviet announced that the 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
directly resulted in the Baltics being forcibly incorporated into the USSR in 1940. This marked the first time in the country's history that an official Soviet body challenged the authority of Soviet rule.

In

February 1990 elections, when for the first time candidates from the opposition were allowed to run, candidates endorsed by pro-independence Sąjūdis won 96 seats out of 141.[9] During its first three sessions on March 11, 1990, the Soviet elected Vytautas Landsbergis as the chairman and adopted the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. The same day the Soviet changed its name to the Supreme Council of the Republic of Lithuania. It is also known as Supreme Council – Reconstituent Seimas
(Aukščiausioji Taryba – Atkuriamasis Seimas).

The council held its last session on November 11, 1992. It was succeeded by democratically elected Seimas.

References

  1. Toy parliament until March 1990
  2. ^
    ISBN 5-415-01502-7
    .
  3. ^
    ISBN 978-9955-23-322-0
    .
  4. ^ Jonas Zinkus; et al., eds. (1985). "Aukščiausioji Taryba". Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vol. I. Vilnius, Lithuania: Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija. pp. 132–133.
  5. ^
    ISBN 9986-9216-9-4. Archived from the original
    on 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  6. ISBN 9986-757-65-7
    .
  7. ^ a b Jonas Zinkus; et al., eds. (1985). "Aukščiausiosios Tarybos Presidiumas". Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Vol. I. Vilnius, Lithuania: Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija. p. 133.
  8. ^
    ISBN 978-9955-23-322-0
    .
  9. ^ "Supreme Council (Reconstituent Seimas) 1990–1992". Seimas. 1999-12-07. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
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