1992 Lithuanian Constitution

The Constitution consists of 154 articles combined in 14 chapters and “Final Provisions”. The Constitution establishes the state structure of the Republic of Lithuania. The Constitution is its main law, with direct action. The Constitution defines the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, as well as citizens of foreign countries and stateless persons on the territory of Lithuania. In accordance with the principle of separation of powers, the Constitution establishes the powers of the Sejm , the President and the Government, and the organs of judicial power.

Also constituent parts of the constitution are the “Constitutional Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the State of Lithuania”, the “Constitutional Act of the Republic of Lithuania on the Non-Alignment of the Republic of Lithuania to the Post-Soviet Eastern Unions”, the “Law of the Republic of Lithuania on the Procedure for the Entry into Force of the Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania” and the “Constitutional Act of the Republic of Lithuania on membership of the Republic of Lithuania in the European Union . ”

The author of the preamble is the poet Justinas Marcinkevičius . The preamble to the sovereign , the subject and the source of state-building states "the people of Lithuanians" ( lit. lietuvių tauta ; in article 2 tauta ), in the English official translation ( Lithuanian Nation ; in article 2, however, People ) and in Russian ( Lithuanian people Article 2 - The People ).

Proposals for amendments or additions to the Constitution may be made to the Seimas on behalf of at least a quarter of the total number of members of the Seimas or at least 300 thousand voters.

In Lithuania, there were several provisional and permanent constitutions adopted by various bodies:

• November 2, 1918 - The Presidium of the State Council adopted a temporary Constitution, according to which the legislative power belonged to the State Council, the executive - to the Presidium.
• 1919 - Provisional Constitution.
• June 10, 1920 - The Constituent Sei adopted a provisional Constitution.
• August 1, 1922 - The first permanent Constitution was adopted, according to which legislative power is vested in the Seimas, the executive - in the president and the government; The Sejm and the President were elected for three years.
• May 15, 1928 - The second permanent Constitution was adopted, which legally formalized the authoritarian regime that emerged after the 1926 coup.
• May 12, 1938 - The third Constitution, adopted by the Sejm on February 11, was published and came into effect.
• August 25, 1940 - The "Stalinist" Constitution of the Lithuanian SSR was adopted.

Until March 11, 1990 , the Constitution of the USSR ( 1977 ) and the Constitution of the Lithuanian SSR ( 1978 ) operated in Lithuania. The Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR, adopted on March 11, 1990, canceled the effect of the Soviet constitutions, resumed the 1938 constitution and adopted the Provisional Basic Law of the Republic of Lithuania to harmonize the latter’s provisions with the actual situation.

• Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania
• Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania
• Lietuvos Respublikos Konstitucija