The TS-LKD Democracy Festival will not take place this year: what are the real reasons why a group of conservatives will yield the seat to G. Landsberg without a fight?

TS-LKD divisions nominated a total of 16 candidates for the office of party chairman.

G.Landsbergis, who has led the Conservatives since 2015, was the most featured.

On Friday morning, the party circulated a statement alleging that all other candidates had signed a joint statement refusing to stand for election as party president, expressing support for the current leader..

This decision is explained by a special pandemic situation, which requires concentration and united work in the Seimas and the Government.

Defeat would weaken positions

According to Saulius Spurga, associate professor at Mykolas Romeris University (MRU), the question about celebrating democracy – a saying former conservative leader Andrius Kubilius “made known” to the public – is with a smile within the TS-LKD.

“Sometimes there were parties that someone only seemed to sacrifice. It was said that I cannot pretend, but I am participating in the elections so that there is at least the visibility of that democracy,” said the observer.

However, in this case, according to S. Spurga, it is as it is. He considered that the members of the TS-LKD, by refusing to run for party chairmen, had taken many opportunities seriously and responsibly.

An associate professor at MRU pointed out that the Conservatives are the party that comes to power. Its leader is the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

If G.Landsbergis lost the election of president of the TS-LKD, it would mean distrust in a member of the Government, which would weaken the position of the party.

“A pandemic, I agree, is such a formal pretext. Another pretext is two wings of the party and two ideologies. The established consensus is fragile. And yet at this moment it satisfies both parties when the party is in leadership, it has a prime minister, ministerial posts, vice ministers.

Now start the discussion and confront the two flanks, where there will definitely be no winner, but there will be, as it were, an abstinence, and then someone will vote something … Both sides now understand that there will be no winner here. and there is no point in developing such a discussion, ”says S. Spurga.

A pandemic, I agree, is such a formal pretext. Another pretext is two wings of the party and two ideologies.

A clear hierarchy was formed

According to Professor Lauras Bielinis from Vytautas Magnus University, the fact that all the other nominees refused to remove their gloves in the election of the TS-LKD president is a sign that a very clear and orderly hierarchy has formed in the match.

“It is very important for the party, for the body, for a certain structure. When there is a clear and clearly understood hierarchy, it can be said that the party is quite mature and can operate in an organized manner, ”said the political scientist.

During the previous elections of the president of the TS-LKD, there was always a struggle between the conservatives and the representatives of the Christian flank.

Now, in addition to the candidacy of G.Landsbergis, two crickets, Paulius Saudargas and Laurynas Kasčiūnas, are also the ones who are most raised.

Why did the Christian flank now raise their arms? L. Bielinis felt that he may not feel the opportunity to win or make a greater influence than now.

That is why it is much more useful for cricketers to “get involved” in the existing hierarchy and perhaps act alone, but actively, whatever they do.

“In this way, without discussion and without conflict in the sense of forming a structure, they provoke discussions about certain values, about positions, which is also very important,” emphasized the VMU professor.

Conservatives will approve the president of a single candidate, and not by general vote, but only by decision of the party council.

According to L. Bielinis, a case still means nothing. If this were to become a systemic issue, we could probably say that the party is not very friendly to democratic principles of operation.

“But at the moment, perhaps they do not really see the need to change the leader, because until now there are probably no signs of change in the hierarchical structure of this party,” said the political scientist.

Obstruction of passivity during elections

According to S. Spurga, there was a lot of talk about G. Landsbergis as a Conservative leader, how strong he is and how strong he is not.

The observer recalled that his leadership as a member of the European Parliament had raised doubts.

According to the MRU associate professor, G. Landsbergis’ decision four years ago to avoid forming a majority with “peasants”, a certain passivity during these Seimas elections, a kind of communication style and the like were also criticized.

However, Landsberg brought TS-LKD into the ruling coalition.

“Either way, but the work is evaluated according to the result,” emphasized S. Spurga.

At the same time, he said, the question is, would another leader be better?

“There is a deficit in any party of people who can represent and who have the various qualities that they need. Even large parties in large countries, which have both ten thousand and hundreds of thousands of members, sometimes struggle a lot to find the right leader.

That is, if this leader is and works, yes, he is criticized for probably making mistakes and not liking someone, but he is also in favor of his replacement, especially now that he, the minister and the party are just starting a term after of a successful one. election, the members of his party do not see the sense, “said the MRU lecturer.

There is a deficit in any party of those people who could represent and have the various qualities necessary for it.

There were questions about leadership

Landsberg’s leadership has raised some questions, especially as the Conservatives have been sitting on the reserve bench for various periods in big politics.

Furthermore, it was not him who topped the TS-LKD list in these Seimas elections.

According to L. Bielinis, G.Landsbergis is a growth leader, quite dynamic.

“Whether he will maintain this leadership in the party is a question here, because there are not one, not two, of the same dynamic and energetic politicians around, with their positions, with their supporters. So far, G. Landsbergis has maintained and consolidated its leadership. Well, we’ll see how the next one will be, ”said the political scientist.

Whether he will maintain this leadership in the party is a question here, because there are not one, not two, of the same dynamic and energetic politicians around, with their positions, with their supporters.

The priority is the following

The TS-LKD sections presented 72 proposals to nominate G. Landsbergis in the presidential elections.

Vice President of Seimas P. Saudargas (31 proposals) and Member of Parliament L. Kasčiūnas (28 proposals), who belong to Cricket Flank, also received support.

Some branches of the party also appointed Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, vice president of the Seimas and elder of the TS-LKD faction of Parliament (12 proposals).

Other candidates proposed by the TS-LKD section for the post of party chair, such as Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė, Seimas Žygimantas Pavilionis member, Minister of Education, Science and Sports Jurgita Šiugždinienė, Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anušauskas and others received much less support from the party community.

Speaking about why other politicians nominated by the TS-LKD divisions as candidates for party presidents refuse to participate in the elections, P. Saudargas said that such a decision arose from the idea that an active electoral campaign by the party president would hinder Government work and the attention of its members of important urgent tasks.

“Currently, it is not competition in the internal struggles of the party, but to work here and now for the benefit of Lithuania in the Seimas and the Government, both to get rid of the pandemic and reduce its consequences for the economy, as well as to defend values.” And the safety of our community is a priority of the party ”. Second.

Will propose approval for four years

According to the procedure for the election of the president of the TS-LKD, in the event of a situation in which only one candidate for party leader participates and is approved, the decision on the further course of the election will be proposed by the Supervisor of the TS-LKD. Committee and approved by the party council.

The chairman of the Party Supervision Committee, Valdas Benkunskas, told the BNS news agency that he would propose that the TS-LKD council approve G. Landsbergis as party chairman for another four years.