Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union

For party known as the Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union between 2006 and 2012, see Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union.
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The Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union (Lithuanian: Lietuvos valstiečių liaudininkų sajunga, LVLS) was a centre-left political party in Lithuania between 1922 and 1936. The party's leaders included the third President Kazys Grinius and three-term Prime Minister Mykolas Sleževičius.

History

The party was established in November 1922 by a merger of the Lithuanian Popular Socialist Democratic Party and the Peasant Union. At the time the two parties held a combined 19 seats, making it the largest in the Seimas. The new party emerged as the largest faction in the 1923 elections, winning 16 of the 78 seats.[1] The 1926 elections saw the party increase its seat tally to 22, remaining the largest party in the Seimas.[1]

The LVLS formed a coalition government with the Social Democratic Party, but it was overthrown by a military coup in December 1926 which installed the Lithuanian Nationalist Union as the ruling party. The LVLS was banned in 1936.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1218 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7