Seimas

Seimas is the unicameral parliament of Lithuania and the country’s primary legislative authority. It is a single-house body whose members are elected to four-year terms. The Seimas meets in Vilnius, in the Seimas Palace, and is chaired by the Speaker, who presides over plenary sessions and represents the Seimas in formal affairs.

Composition and elections

Seimas comprises 141 members. It uses a mixed electoral system: 71 members are elected in single-member constituencies by plurality, and 70 are elected from party lists in a nationwide constituency through proportional representation. Members represent political parties, coalitions, or independents, and the composition of the Seimas reflects the outcome of national elections held every four years.

Functions and powers

The Seimas enacts laws, approves the state budget, and oversees the government. It can ratify or terminate international treaties and has the authority to initiate constitutional amendments. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are appointed with Seimas confidence, and the government remains collectively responsible to the Seimas. The chamber can hold inquiries and investigations into government actions and can dismiss the government through a vote of no confidence, triggering political realignment or new elections under certain conditions.

Relationship with the president and government

Lithuania’s President is the head of state, while the Prime Minister is the head of government. The President nominates a Prime Minister candidate who must win the confidence of the Seimas, after which the Prime Minister and cabinet govern with parliamentary support. The Seimas also participates in foreign policy and national security decisions through its legislative and oversight roles.

History

The term Seimas has historic roots in the medieval Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The modern Seimas was established after Lithuania restored its independence in 1990 and operates under the 1992 Constitution, continuing as the country’s principal legislative body.