wh y w e l o s t
56
Christian Democratic Party 16 seats (11.7%); the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party 12
seats (8.8%); the Social-Democratic Party 12 seats (8.8%); and the Center Union 12 seats
(8.8%).
IV. BRIEF CHRONOLOGY OF CONSERVATIVE RULE
1996 – 2000
When Vagnorius formed his coalition government in December 1996, the ratings of the
Conservative Party and its leader, Landsbergis, stood at an all-time high (34.5% and 55.6%
respectively). During the four-year period through which Conservative popularity halved
twice, there were three decisive reversal points that also marked a cardinal shift of the
electoral attitude towards the Conservatives.
The first critical point coincided with the presidential election at the end of 1997. Two new
political figures emerged: Valdas Adamkus, who went on to become the president of the
republic (1998-2002), and Artūras Paulauskas, a future scourge of the Conservatives in his
role as the head of the New Union (Social-Liberal Party).
This result marked a distinct reversal of fortune for Landsbergis. He also ran for presi-
dent, but received only 15.73% of the total vote. Barely a year before, Landsbergis had
been among the most popular politicians, with a popularity rating of more than 50%; this
defeat marked the beginning of his gradual withdrawal from active Lithuanian domestic
politics.
During the intense and bitter political battles of the presidential campaign, Conservative
approval ratings dropped to 10-12%. This general fall in the ratings mirrored the drop in
Landsbergis’ popularity. Prime Minister Vagnorius’ ratings, on the other hand, dissociated
themselves from the general Conservative Party ratings and soared up. Vagnorius, as an
independent political figure, began outweighing Vagnorius as the representative and pro-
moter of the Conservative political line. This tendency soon expressed itself in his increas-
ingly independent-minded policies. The latter led to certain “diarchy,” or formation of two
factions, within the Conservative party and the governing coalition as a whole. Tensions
started increasing between the Vagnorius-led government and the parliamentary majority
controlled by Landsbergis.
From a more general perspective, the appearance of Adamkus (a Lithuanian émigré
and an erstwhile American civil servant of some standing) on the Lithuanian po-
litical scene signified that the Conservatives and their allies no longer had the mo-
nopoly over the political right. Adamkus emerged as a representative of the liberal
right, and, with a strong team at his side, embarked on independent political course.
While he was, for the Conservatives, a welcome change from the previous incumbent,
ex-Communist Brazauskas, Adamkus often acted at cross purposes, rather than in
concord, with the governing center-right coalition. He was instrumental in buttress-
ing the Liberal Union, heretofore a fairly insignificant political force popular mostly
among urban middle-class and entrepreneurs. The political line that Adamkus ad-
opted prophesied the realignment of the political scene which came to be known as
the “New Politics” later on.
