The Act of 11 March 1990 on the Re-establishment of the Independent State of Lithuania

Abstract

On 24 February 1990, the elections to the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR took place. This was the first time in a 50-year period that genuinely free and democratic elections had been held: they involved various contesting political parties and organisations, as well as rival personalities and competing electoral programmes. As many as 472 candidates were running for 141 deputy seats.1 With an overwhelming majority of votes, the elections were won by the Lithuanian Reform Movement Sąjudis (hereinafter referred to as Saudis). The programmes of the candidates nominated or backed by Sąjudis included the explicitly stated objective to restore the independence of Lithuania. Thus, having given their votes to the candidates nominated or backed by Sąjudis, the voters granted them the mandate of the nation to restore the independence of Lithuania.