Women’s Right to Vote in Lithuania
Women’s Day Lithuania / November 2, (1918)

Development of women’s rights in Lithuania:

Recognition of women’s political rights

In Lithuania women’s political rights were not recognized until the beginning of the 20th century. The first woman was elected President of the Republic only after a century, in May 2009.

Women’s struggle for political equality and suffrage at the end of the 19th and at the turn of the 20th century correlates with the movement for re-establishment of an independent State of Lithuania, that was lost at the end of the 18th century, and constitutional consolidation of equality and recognition of women’s suffrage at the beginning of the 20th century. The Great Seimas of Vilnius in 1905 recognized the principles of equality of women and men and declared the principles of equal general election to the Seimas (parliament). These principles were implemented after Lithuania regained independence in 1918 and they were declared in the first provisional Constitution of 1918. In Lithuania, women and men gained their election rights at the same time – this could be viewed as a very significant feature of women’s suffrage rights development. Parliamentarians of both genders (sexes) were elected to the first constituent Seimas (parliament) during the first national elections in 1920; women were active parliamentarians and played a particular role in the state political developments.

Women’s rights in Lithuania remain an important question of law, however, historically, for ages the legal status of women has been related to property rights – in particular, the right of succession and the right to foster their children. In the 16th century Lithuanian Statutes formally authorised a noble girl to get married on her own free will and prohibited to force a noblewoman to be married without her consent. (Mykolo Romerio universitetas)