Exactly one year from 2023 The Central Election Commission (CEC) analyzed the data on the change of members of Lithuanian municipal councils and prepared an overview of the elections of municipal council members and mayors held on March 5. It also reflects the main reasons for which the members of the councils in the municipalities of Lithuanian cities and districts usually changed.
In last year’s elections, 1,498 councilors and 60 mayors were elected. In one year, 233 persons elected in these elections changed in various municipalities of Lithuania, who refused or lost the mandate of a member of the municipal council.
According to the CEC, the largest change of council members was recorded in Kaunas district (13 members changed), Elektrėnai (9 changed), Klaipėda district, Kupiškis district, Molėtai district and Pagėgiai municipalities (7 council members changed each).
In the only municipality of Druskininkai, not a single member of the municipal council has changed in one year.
120 members of the municipal council left their positions voluntarily
During the year, the CEC, which also performs the functions of the mandates commission, was mostly approached by those members of the municipal councils who wished to leave their positions of their own free will. 120 such requests were recorded. Another 95 persons left the council because they started holding positions incompatible with the work of a member of the municipal council. 9 members were deprived of their mandate by the decision of the CEC after it was determined that they were holding incompatible positions without relinquishing their mandate.
According to the CEC, the largest number of councilors who voluntarily renounced the mandate given by the voters or lost it are elected on the basis of the list of candidates nominated by the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (66 persons), the Liberal movement (30 persons), the Fatherland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party (29 persons), Lithuanian peasant and green unions (27 persons).
During this year, there were 4 cases when the CEC terminated the powers of members of municipal councils in the event of the death of the members before the deadline.
2 members of the municipal councils were found guilty by the court’s decision and, in accordance with the provisions of the Election Code, the CEC had to terminate their powers.
The law also provides that a council member must be a permanent resident of the municipality to which he was elected. If he leaves for permanent residence outside the territory of the municipality and informs the CEC, his powers are terminated. The CEC recorded such a case once a year. Another 1 member was deprived of his mandate by the decision of the CEC after it was recognized that he had grossly violated the provisions of the Election Code.
A third of women work in municipal councils
CEC data show that in 60 Lithuanian municipalities (including mayors) men work almost three times more than women. This trend remains similar to previous years.
A total of 501 mandates of members of municipal councils and mayors belong to women (32.16%), and 1057 mandates to men (67.84%).
In some municipalities, the number of men and women holding the positions of councilors and mayors is proportional. For example, there are currently 16 men and 16 women in Kaunas district municipality. There are 7 female and 9 male councilors in Birštonas municipality, 13 female and 15 male councilors in Klaipėda district municipality, 10 female and 12 male councilors in Širvintos district municipality.
In some municipalities, there are significantly more men than women. For example, in the municipality of Klaipėda, there are 4 women council members, and the remaining 28 council members (including the mayor) are men. In the municipalities of Utena district and Anykščiai district, there are 4 women and 22 men each (including mayors).
Out of 60 Lithuanian municipalities, 54 are headed by male mayors, and 6 by female mayors.
There is not a single municipality in Lithuania where only women or only men work in the council.
The average age of members of municipal councils is more than 52 years
The CEC analysis revealed that currently the average age of municipal council members (both women and men) is 52 years and 2 months.
The vast majority (26.77%) of councilors and mayors are in the age group of 55 to 64 years. Council members and mayors in the age group of 45 to 54 make up about 24.39 percent. 21.57 percent of councilors and mayors fall into the 35-44 age group.
8.73 percent municipal council members and mayors are between 25 and 34 years old. And in the age group from 65 to 74 years there is 16.24 percent. councilors and mayors.
The smallest number of municipal council members and mayors (0.83%) are young people under the age of 24. Likewise, a small group (1.48%) of municipal council members are 75 years of age or older.
In the country, the youngest current member of the council is a 20-year-old man, the oldest is an 88-year-old woman.
The youngest mayor of Lithuania is 32, the oldest is 68 years old.
One of the functions of the CEC during the period between Municipal Councils and mayoral elections is to perform the mandates commission functions. Decisions regarding the recognition of the mandates of municipal council members and mayors as terminated, and the recognition of the mandates of new municipal council members are taken collegially during public CEC meetings.
CEC information
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– 2024-03-29 09:30:26
