Causal Conditions of Lithuanian Governments’ Stability Cover Image

Priežastinės Lietuvos Respublikos vyriausybių stabilumo sąlygos
Causal Conditions of Lithuanian Governments’ Stability

Author(s): Ligita Šarkutė
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Mykolas Romeris University
Keywords: government; government stability; decision-making; political parties; parliamentary majority; comparative qualitative analysis

Summary/Abstract: This article presents the results of qualitative comparative analysis of such causal factors of Lithuanian government’s stability as decision-making model, role of political parties, government ideology and parliamentary majority. The basic source of the research was the interviews with ministers who have served in different cabinets. The cabinets led by Kazimiera Prunskien÷, Gediminas Vagnorius, Adolfas ŠleŃevičius, Laurynas Mindaugas Stankevičius, Rolandas Paksas, Andrius Kubilius, Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas and Gediminas Kirkilas are analyzed in this article. The research showed that in most cases the governments, where decision-making model is monocratic and party influence in governmental decision-making process is weak; or those in which decision-making model is monocratic and which have support of the parliamentary majority, are stable. It was also revealed that a strong influence of ruling party (or parties) in the governmental decision-making process and the leftist ideology could lead to government stability. The governments might be classified into three homogeneous groups according to decision-making model, role of political parties in decisionmaking, ideology, size of parliamentary support and cabinet duration.

  • Issue Year: 11/2012
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 49-62
  • Page Count: 14
  • Language: Lithuanian