Samogitian Party
Encyclopedia
The Samogitian Party is an ethnic-regionalist autonomist party
of the Lithuania
's Samogitian minority
founded in April 2008.
to become an area where the Samogitian dialect would have official status and where Samogitians would have the right to declare their ethnic nationality.
, created in May 2009.
and received 6,961 votes (1.23% of the total). It got more than 4% of the votes (the electoral threshold for the municipal elections
) in the four districts of the Telšiai County
, in the Mažeikiai district municipality
(544 votes, 6,27%), in the Rietavas municipality
(95 votes, 5,04%), in the Plungė district municipality
(356 votes, 5,76%) and in the Telšiai district municipality
(501 votes, 5,84%), and in three districts (out of seven) of the Klaipėda County
, i.e. the Kretinga district municipality
(373 votes, 5,67%), in the Skuodas district municipality (253 votes, 6,84%) and the Klaipėda district municipality
(341 votes, 4,49%).
. This had already been contested before courts by the Žemaitē bova, īr ė būs ("Samogitians were, are and will be") Association, also named Žemaitiu soeiga, which considers that it is a violation of the Constitution, more particularly of the provision that everyone has the right to decide on his nationality. According to Egidijus Skarbalius, the founder of the Samogitian Party, Samogitians could be as many as one million, thus representing a third of Lithuania's total population.
By the end of 2008, the Council of Skuodas district municipality had decided to act by a fait accompli, and decided that all its meetings will be held in Samogitian language. Lithuanians councilmen will enjoy the use of interpreters as for them this language is completely incomprehensible.
Political parties of minorities
Ethnic parties aim to represent an ethnic group in a political system, be it a sovereign state or a subnational entity. An alternate designation is 'Political parties of minorities', but they should not be mistaken with regionalist or separatist parties, whose purpose is territorial autonomy.-...
of the Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
's Samogitian minority
Samogitians
Samogitians are a part of the Lithuanian ethnicity inhabiting the region of Samogitia in Lithuania. Many speak the Samogitian dialect of the Lithuanian language.-History:...
founded in April 2008.
Creation
In 2008, the Ministry of Justice refused to register the party claiming that there were not enough participants at its inaugural meeting, but also that the programme failed to explicitly recognize the State of Lithuania's territorial integrity and indivisibility and the fact that the Lithuanian language is the national language. The Ministry finally registered the party in February 2009, a recognition that was indispensable for taking part to any election.Aims
The Samogitian Party wants SamogitiaSamogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
to become an area where the Samogitian dialect would have official status and where Samogitians would have the right to declare their ethnic nationality.
Membership and party structure
The party has 1,100 members, according to party sources. Several local branches of the party have been established, including one in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, created in May 2009.
Electoral results
The Samogitian Party took part at the 2009 European Parliament electionEuropean Parliament election, 2009 (Lithuania)
The European Parliament election of 2009 in Lithuania was the election of the delegation from Lithuania to the European Parliament in 2009. It was a part of the wider 2009 European election...
and received 6,961 votes (1.23% of the total). It got more than 4% of the votes (the electoral threshold for the municipal elections
Elections in Lithuania
Elections in Lithuania gives information on election and election results in Lithuania.Lithuania elects on national level a head of state—the president—and a legislature. The president is elected for a five year term by the people...
) in the four districts of the Telšiai County
Telšiai County
Telšiai County is one of ten counties in Lithuania. It is in the west of the country, and its capital is Telšiai...
, in the Mažeikiai district municipality
Mažeikiai district municipality
Mažeikiai district municipality is in north-west Lithuania, on the Venta River . The administrative center of Mažeikiai district is the town of Mažeikiai...
(544 votes, 6,27%), in the Rietavas municipality
Rietavas municipality
Rietavas municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania....
(95 votes, 5,04%), in the Plungė district municipality
Plunge district municipality
Plungė district municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania.-Tourism and pilgrimage:Major tourist attraction is Lake Plateliai and nearby town Plateliai...
(356 votes, 5,76%) and in the Telšiai district municipality
Telšiai district municipality
Telšiai district municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania, containing the city of Telšiai.-References:...
(501 votes, 5,84%), and in three districts (out of seven) of the Klaipėda County
Klaipeda County
Klaipėda County is one of ten counties in Lithuania. It lies in the west of the country and is the only county to have a coastline. Its capital is Klaipėda...
, i.e. the Kretinga district municipality
Kretinga district municipality
Kretinga district municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania....
(373 votes, 5,67%), in the Skuodas district municipality (253 votes, 6,84%) and the Klaipėda district municipality
Klaipeda district municipality
Klaipėda district municipality is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania.- Elderships :There are 11 elderships in Klaipėda district municipality:*Agluonėnai eldership*Dauparai-Kvietiniai eldership...
(341 votes, 4,49%).
Political context
The respondents in the various censuses do not have the option to choose for the Samogitian ethnicitySamogitians
Samogitians are a part of the Lithuanian ethnicity inhabiting the region of Samogitia in Lithuania. Many speak the Samogitian dialect of the Lithuanian language.-History:...
. This had already been contested before courts by the Žemaitē bova, īr ė būs ("Samogitians were, are and will be") Association, also named Žemaitiu soeiga, which considers that it is a violation of the Constitution, more particularly of the provision that everyone has the right to decide on his nationality. According to Egidijus Skarbalius, the founder of the Samogitian Party, Samogitians could be as many as one million, thus representing a third of Lithuania's total population.
By the end of 2008, the Council of Skuodas district municipality had decided to act by a fait accompli, and decided that all its meetings will be held in Samogitian language. Lithuanians councilmen will enjoy the use of interpreters as for them this language is completely incomprehensible.
External links
- Official website (in Lithuanian)