Features of the parliamentary system in the 1st Republic of Lithuania (1918-1940)

Remiantis Lietuvos Respublikos įstatymais bei kitais juridiniais aklais, politinių partijų dokumentais, statistinių duomenų rinkiniais, periodine spauda ir istorikų darbais, analizuojamos parlamentarizmo Lietuvoje ištakos, parlamentinės valdymo sistemos XX a. 3 dešimtmetyje susiformavimas, iškeliama Steigiamojo Seimo (1920–1922 m.) reikšmė, apžvelgiama I (1922–1923 m.), II (1923–1926 m.), III (1926–1927 m.) Seimų veikla. Daroma išvada, kad IV Seimas (1936–1940 m.) buvo tautos atstovybės fikcijaThe article presents an analysis of the origins of the parliamentarianism in Lithuania and the formation of the parliamentary system. This analysis is based on the provisions of the laws and other legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania, documents received from the political parties' archives, statistical databanks, periodical press and the works of the historians. At the end of the 19th century - beginning of the 20th century, the first political parties were founded in Lithuania. They sought not only to reestablish the independent state of Lithuania but also to introduce the parliamentary system. The importance of the conference convened in Vilnius on 4-5 of December and known as "The Grand Seimas of Vilnius" is also discussed in the article. On 14-15 April 1920, after general, direct, equal and secret voting performed according to the proportionate system, the Constituent Assembly (Seimas) - the first democratic representative institution in the modern history of Lithuania - was elected. The Constituent Assembly (Seimas) repeatedly declared the independence of the state, adopted the Constitution of Lithuania, the Laws On Land Reform, On the Introduction of the National Currency, On the Foundation of the University, and other legal acts and laid the foundations of political, economic and cultural life of Lithuania. The activities of the First Seimas, Second Seimas and Third Seimas (from October 1922 till April 1927) that continued the parliamentary rule are presented in the article. The coup d'etat of 17 December 1926 and the forthcoming dissolution of the Seimas on 12 April 1927 marked the end of the democratic rule and the beginning of the authoritarian regime headed by President Antanas Smetona (1927-1940). The conclusion is that in 1936 undemocratically elected 4th Seimas with limited powers was only a fictional representation of the natio