Analysis of conditions for successful performance of independent local lists in 2019 lithuania's municipal councils elections

Independent local lists are considered as a new phenomenon in multiple European countries – in Western democracies as well as those which are called ‘new democracies‘ – Eastern and Central European countries in which consolidation processes of democracy started only in 1990. In both types of these states Independent local lists recently are particularly successful – the number of them in local council elections is rising and they have high support from the electorate. European political scientists are trying to clarify under which conditions independent local lists are able to win local elections and which factors are most essential for that. They draw in some conclusions: firstly, independent local list have to have a strong and charismatic political leader; secondly, independent local lists are much more successful in small communities or in big cities – there they can use all the available potential; thirdly, local lists have more opportunities in societies where civic and political participation are higher than in those where these indicators are low; lastly, welfare and well socio-economical conditions of living imply lower share of votes of independent local lists. With regard to these conditions there were made the assumptions and constructed hypotheses about a successful performance of independent local lists in Lithuania’s municipal elections in 2019. An analysis of conditions for such successful performance were made through Qualitative Comparative Analysis and presented graphically with program TOSMANA. After the analysis there were made few observations and findings. First of all, there are no necessary or sufficient conditions for the success of independent local lists. There are 3 combinations of successful performance: strong leader and small or big municipality; small or big municipality and low civic activity and good socio-economic conditions; strong leader, high civic activity and good socio-economic conditions