Abbreviation LRLS First Vice Chairman Eugenijus Gentvilas | Chairman Remigijus Šimašius Executive Secretary Renaldas Vaisbrodas | |
 | ||
Vice Chairpeople Aušrinė Armonaitė
Petras Auštrevičius
Vitalijus Gailius
Simonas Gentvilas
Simonas Kairys
Edita Rudelienė
Marcijonas Urmonas Founded February 25, 2006 (2006-02-25) | ||
The Liberal Movement (Lithuanian: Liberalų Sąjūdis), formally the Liberals' Movement of the Republic of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Lietuvos Respublikos Liberalų sąjūdis) and abbreviated to LRLS, is a conservative-liberal political party in Lithuania.
Following the October 2012 General Election, the Liberal Movement has ten members of the Seimas. It previously participated in a governing coalition, along with the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats and Liberal and Centre Union. It has two MEPs in the European Parliament, Leonidas Donskis and Antanas Guoga, who sit in the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group. The LRLS is a member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Party.
History
The party was founded in 2006 by dissident members of the Liberal and Centre Union that were unhappy with Artūras Zuokas's leadership.
In the legislative elections of 2008, the first elections LRLS has ever taken part in, it gained 11 seats in the Seimas and 5.72 percent of the national vote. The LRLS formed a coalition with the Homeland Union, the Liberal and Centre Union, and the National Resurrection Party. This coalition gained a combined governmental majority of 80 out of 141 seats in the Seimas, led by Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius of the Homeland Union. At the subsequent elections of 2012, the party lost one seat to finish with 10 seats in the Seimas and 8.57 percent of the national vote.
After party's leader Eligijus Masiulis allegedly took a bribe of 100,000 euro, Antanas Guoga took his position. But he was the chairman for 4 days only, and has resigned. The mayor of Vilnius, Remigijus Šimašius, is the current chairman of the party.