VILNIUS - The Social Democratic Party, for years the driving force in Lithuania's government, is faltering. Not only has it lost its social democratic values, it has no one to replace its present leader.
At least this was how political experts described the situation following news that Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas was once again re-elected as party chairman.
Brazauskas was re-elected by an overwhelming majority at the party's congress on May 14. Only two out of some 600 delegates voted against his candidacy. The whole election procedure, devoid of any debate or even a symbolic rival candidate, required less than five minutes.
Given this kind of atmosphere, some elder SocDems sardonically wondered if they had attended the 27th congress of Lithuania's Social Democratic Party or of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union.
"It is important now to renew and to make the Social Democratic Party a modern European party of the 21st century," said Brazauskas following his re-election. He added that the Social Democrats must demonstrate clear positions and the party needed to become more democratic and active.
Critics, however, said that this is precisely what the Social Democratic Party under Brazauskas lacks 's democracy and innovation.
Political scientist Alvidas Lukosaitis at Vilnius University pointed out that the Social Democratic Party suffers from numerous internal problems. It has shifted away from traditionally left-of-center, social democratic values, and it doesn't have an equal role for Brazauskas. Worse, its internal working structure lacks equality and leaders seem incapable of dealing with the party's acute problems.
"The situation of the Social Democratic Party is complicated, and so is the destiny of the social democratic idea. The party undergoes internal clashes over future developments and the possibilities of working in the present ruling coalition," said Lukosaitis.
"It is impossible to ignore the criticism of Bronislovas Genzelis and Aloyzas Sakalas aimed at the party's leaders about the drift away from social democratic values. And the criticism has grounds," stressed Lukosaitis.
The prime minister's statements on how the program should be refreshed are only "a curtain to hide the true situation."
"The curtain, however, doesn't persuade. It's unclear what the future of the party is. There are no equal personalities to the current leader," Lukosaitis said.
Analysts added that the election aptly demonstrated the party's intrinsic "bad health." Even prior to the vote, the party elite announced that Brazauskas would have no challengers if he decided to run in the elections.
Juozas Olekas, parliamentary head of the Social Democrats, said that the organization wanted Brazauskas to continue in his role as chairman. "If Brazauskas runs, nobody else should nominate others so that people don't ruin their biographies," Olekas said.
Political scientist Mindaugas Jurkynas said that the Social Democratic Party falls into the category of "iron oligarchy," when the change of leaders is rare and the ruling heads control both the party and its resources and do not promote open competition. He said that the expulsion of former Finance Minister Algirdas Butkevicius from the party's presidium was a typical example of how the party dealt with dissent.
Still, Butkevicius might be capable of a comeback. "The mood of the 'old Social Democrats' wasn't improved since the constructive work of Butkevicius and his public statements were good preconditions for him as a potential leader in the future 's if the party could only find some more space for democracy," Jurkynas said.
Yet the Social Democratic elite claim that the so-called spirit of stagnation at the party congress only demonstrates its solidarity and strength.
Brazauskas, 72, will head the Social Democratic Party for a third consecutive two-year term. He has headed the party since January 2001, when the Lithuanian Democratic Labor Party merged with the Social Democratic Party.
