New Union (Social Liberals) Naujoji sąjunga (socialliberalai) | |
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| Founded | 25 April 1998 |
| Dissolved | 9 July 2011 |
| Merged into | Labour Party |
| Headquarters | 10/1 Gedimino pr.,Vilnius |
| Ideology | Social liberalism Populism[1][2] |
| Political position | Centre-left[1][3] |
| European affiliation | European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (2004–2011) |
| International affiliation | Liberal International (observer) |
| Colours | Blue,white |
| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| www | |
TheNew Union (Social Liberals) (Lithuanian:Naujoji sąjunga (socialliberalai), NS) was asocial-liberal[4]political party in Lithuania. The NS was a member of theEuropean Liberal Democrat and Reform Party (ELDR) and an observer of theLiberal International. It was founded in 1998 and is led byArtūras Paulauskas.
The party was formed in 1998 on a basis of Artūras Paulauskas presidential campaign team.
Its policy was based onsocial liberalism: the principal values of which are personal freedom, social solidarity, welfare of people and justice.[citation needed]
In 2000, municipal elections the party won the most seats in municipalities districts' councils.
In 2000,it formed a coalition government with theLiberal Union (along withLithuanian Centre Union andModern Christian Democrats), but after disagreements between two, in 2001, a new coalition with theLithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) was formed.
Its candidateVilija Blinkevičiūtė won 16.6% of the votes in the2004 presidential election. Atthat year's parliamentary election, the party ran in alliance with theSocial Democratic Party (LSDP) under the label 'Coalition ofAlgirdas Brazauskas andArtūras Paulauskas: Working for Lithuania'. The list won 31 seats out of 141, of which the New Union won 11. After these elections, a coalition with the LSDP, theLabour Party andLithuanian Popular Peasant Union (LVLS), which lasted up until summer of 2006.
In January 2008, the party joined new coalition, which consisted from the LSDP, the LVLS,Civic Democratic Party andLiberal and Centre Union.
At the2008 parliamentary election, the party lost heavily, winning only one seat in theSeimas and only 3.64% of the national vote. As other parties that were part of coalition governments in the outgoing parliament suffered in the elections (Social Democratic Party of Lithuania,Labour Party,Liberal and Centre Union andLithuanian Peasant Popular Union), all lost seats in the Seimas and in thenew parliament acentre-right coalition underAndrius Kubilius had the most seats. It left the New Union in opposition.
The party's one member in the Seimas,Valerijus Simulik, sat with the Social Democratic Party political group. In 2011, the party merged with the Labour Party.[5] A minority faction switched to the Liberal and Centre Union.[6]
| Election | Leader | Votes[a] | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Artūras Paulauskas | 288,895 | 19.64 (#2) | 29 / 141 | New | Coalition |
| 2004 | 246,852[b] | 20.65 (#2) | 11 / 141 |  18 | Coalition(2004–2006) | |
| Opposition(2006–2008) | ||||||
| Coalition(2008) | ||||||
| 2008 | Algirdas Monkevičius | 45,061 | 3.64 (#10) | 1 / 141 | 10 | Opposition(2008–2011) |
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