Kirkilas Cabinet Explained

Cabinet Name:Kirkilas Cabinet
Incumbent:2006–2008
Government Head:Gediminas Kirkilas
State Head:Valdas Adamkus
Political Parties:Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union, Civic Democratic Party, Liberal and Centre Union (2006–2007)----Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union, Liberal and Centre Union, Civic Democratic Party, New Union (Social Liberals) (2008)
Legislature Status:[1]
Legislature Term:Ninth Seimas
Opposition Parties:Homeland Union (Lithuanian Conservatives), Labour Party, Order and Justice, New Union (Social Liberals), Liberal Movement (2006–2007)[2] [3] ----Homeland Union (Lithuanian Conservatives), Labour Party, Order and Justice, Liberal Movement (2008)
Opposition Leader:None
Previous:Brazauskas Cabinet II
Successor:Kubilius Cabinet II

Kirkilas Cabinet was the 14th cabinet of Lithuania since 1990. It consisted of the Prime Minister and 13 government ministers.

History

Formation

Algirdas Brazauskas resigned as the Prime Minister of the 13th government on 1 June 2006. After this event, the Homeland Union, the Liberal Movement and the New Union (Social Liberals) tried to form ruling coalition (so called "Coalition of Breakthrough"[4]) on their own, but the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union also tried to do so. Attempt made by latter two parties was successful and new coalition also included the Civic Democratic Party and the Liberal and Centre Union.

After the interim Prime Minister, Zigmantas Balčytis failed to gather sufficient level of support in the parliament (only 53 members of the parliament belonged to new four party coalition[5]), the President Valdas Adamkus appointed Gediminas Kirkilas of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania as the Prime Minister on 6 July 2006. Although, possibility of snap elections of Seimas in 2007 was raised by spring and summer of 2006,[6] [7] the 14th cabinet received its mandate and started work on 18 July 2006, after the Seimas gave assent to its program (main opposition party – the Homeland Union – abstained in the voting).[8]

Minority and majority governments

The government served as minority government from July 2006 to January 2008. Agreement between the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and the Homeland Union had fixed term of six months, which could have been extended for other six months and so on. By the end of 2007, Homeland Union withdraw its support for minority government and search of possible support from other parties began. In January 2008, the government became majority one when the New Union (Social Liberals) joined ruling coalition after weeks of negotiations, although the New Union (Social Liberals) in April 2007 already agreed to support minority government.[9] [10] [11]

The government continued to serve until the end of the term of the Ninth Seimas, returning its mandate on 17 November 2008, soon after the elections to the Seimas in October. The government continued to serve in an acting capacity until the Second Kubilius Cabinet started its work on 9 December 2008.[12]

Cabinet

The following ministers served on Kirkilas Cabinet.

PositionNamePartyFromTo
Prime MinisterGediminas KirkilasSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania18 July 20069 December 2008
Ministry of AgricultureKazimira PrunskienėLithuanian Peasant Popular Union18 July 20069 December 2008
Ministry of CultureJonas JučasLiberal and Centre Union18 July 20069 December 2008
Ministry of EconomyVytas NavickasIndependent18 July 20069 December 2008
Ministry of Education and ScienceRoma ŽakaitienėSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania18 July 200627 May 2008[13]
Algirdas MonkevičiusNew Union (Social Liberals)27 May 20089 December 2008
Ministry of EnvironmentArūnas KundrotasSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania18 July 200631 January 2008[14]
Artūras PaulauskasNew Union (Social Liberals)31 January 20089 December 2008
Ministry of FinanceZigmantas BalčytisSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania18 July 200616 May 2007
Rimantas Šadžius16 May 20079 December 2008
Ministry of Foreign AffairsPetras VaitiekūnasIndependent18 July 20069 December 2008
Ministry of HealthRimvydas TurčinskasSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania18 July 200614 July 2008[15]
Gediminas Černiauskas14 July 20089 December 2008
Ministry of the InteriorRaimondas ŠukysLiberal and Centre Union18 July 200610 December 2007[16]
Regimantas Čiupaila17 December 20079 December 2008
Ministry of JusticePetras BaguškaCivic Democratic Party18 July 20069 December 2008
Independent
Ministry of DefenceJuozas OlekasSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania18 July 20069 December 2008
Ministry of Social Security and LabourVilija BlinkevičiūtėSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania18 July 20069 December 2008
Ministry of Transport and CommunicationsAlgirdas ButkevičiusSocial Democratic Party of Lithuania18 July 20069 December 2008

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Socialdemokratų partija ir Tėvynės sąjungos frakcija pasirašė susitarimą dėl tolesnės Tėvynės sąjungos paramos mažumos Vyriausybei. Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 13 September 2017.
  2. Web site: "Darbiečiai" imasi burti opozicijos koaliciją. DELFI. 13 September 2017.
  3. Web site: Nepritardama keturioliktosios Vyriausybės programai Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo Liberalų sąjūdžio frakcija skelbiasi opozicine frakcija.
  4. Web site: Koalicijos paieškas vilkina principinis ginčas . www.lzinios.lt . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180809025041/https://www.lzinios.lt/lzinios/Lietuva/koalicijos-paieskas-vilkina-principinis-gincas/100980 . 2018-08-09.
  5. Web site: Pasirašytas bendradarbiavimo susitarimas su liberalcentristais. Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 22 October 2017.
  6. Web site: Kas laukia už pirmalaikių rinkimų durų?.
  7. Web site: Krikdemų siūloma išeitis - priešlaikiniai Seimo rinkimai.
  8. Web site: Ankstesnės Vyriausybės. Po 1990 metų. Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
  9. Web site: Socialliberalai gali grįžti į valdančiąją koaliciją.
  10. Web site: Seimas 2004-2008 m.: valdantieji rūbą keitė kelis kartus. lt. 2004-2008 Seimas: the governing coalition changed its clothes several times. 13 September 2008. Verslo Žinios. 21 December 2015.
  11. Web site: Ministro Pirmininko Gedimino Kirkilo interviu Žinių radijui 2008 sausio 24 D.
  12. Web site: Dėl lietuvos respublikos vyriausybės atsistatydinimo. Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 13 May 2016.
  13. Web site: DĖL LIETUVOS RESPUBLIKOS ŠVIETIMO IR MOKSLO MINISTRĖS R. ŽAKAITIENĖS ATSISTATYDINIMO. Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 13 May 2016.
  14. Web site: DĖL LIETUVOS RESPUBLIKOS APLINKOS MINISTRO A. KUNDROTO ATSISTATYDINIMO. Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 13 May 2016.
  15. Web site: DĖL LIETUVOS RESPUBLIKOS SVEIKATOS APSAUGOS MINISTRO R.TURČINSKO ATSISTATYDINIMO. Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 13 May 2016.
  16. Web site: DĖL LIETUVOS RESPUBLIKOS VIDAUS REIKALŲ MINISTRO R. ŠUKIO ATSISTATYDINIMO. Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. 13 May 2016.