KArtu

Political party in Lithuania

Together. Left Alliance

KArtu. Kairiųjų aljansas

Leader| Jolanta Bielskienė
Founded| 25 January 2022 (2022-01-25) (as Left Alliance)
1 May 2024 (2024-05-01) (as KArtu)
Split from| Social Democratic Party of Lithuania
Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union
Membership (2024)| 2,093[1]
Ideology| Democratic socialism
Anti-capitalism
Progressivism
Political position| Left-wing
European affiliation| Central-Eastern European Green Left Alliance
Colours|  Orange
Black
Red
Seimas|

0 / 141

European Parliament|

0 / 12

Municipal councils|

0 / 1,526

Website
partijakartu.lt

* Politics of Lithuania
* Political parties
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KArtu (English: Together), known by the full name KArtu. Left Alliance (Lithuanian: KArtu. Kairiųjų aljansas) is a left-wing political party in Lithuania founded on 1 May 2024. It was originally founded as a non-partisan political movement in 2022.[2]

## History

[edit]

The Left Alliance was founded in 2022 with a manifesto by over twenty political figures, including cultural figures, artists, and members of both the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union. In its manifesto, the Left Alliance claimed that Lithuanian politics lack a "progressive left-wing party" and attacked the Social Democrats for insufficient allegiance to their party program and betrayal of left-wing values.[3]

One of the founders of the movement, Andrius Bielskis [lt], had been involved in activism for an "alternative left" since 2007, in which he was the main ideologue and a founder of the short-lived Naujoji kairė 95 [lt] (English: New Left 95).[4]

In February 2022, it organized a picket in support of the ongoing strike in the chemical plant Achema.[5] In light of ongoing political discussion regarding the promulgation of same-sex partnerships law in Lithuania, it spoke out in favor of immediate legalization of same-sex partnerships.[6]

On 12 January 2024, it became a founding member of the Central-Eastern European Green Left Alliance (CEEGLA) alongside Left Together, Democracy and Solidarity Party, Budoucnost, Social Movement and the Spark Movement.[7]

On 1 May 2024, the party was founded in Vilnius. Jolanta Bielskienė, former member of the Social Democratic Party, was elected as its chairwoman.[1]

## Platform

[edit]

Original logo

KArtu is a left-wing party and presents itself as "an alternative to the dominant, purely right-wing politics and doctrine of neoliberal capitalism".[8] It supports shortening the work week, first to 32 hours and later to 28 hours, encouraging the expansion of trade unions, progressive taxes on corporations, businesses and high-income landlords, reducing food prices, regulating the housing market by setting rent caps, and expanding women's rights and LGBT rights in Lithuania.[1] It promotes the creation of economic democracy by promoting worker cooperatives instead of private ownership.[9]

It supports Lithuania's membership in NATO and the European Union, and the strengthening of national defense.[10] It supports Ukraine in the Russo-Ukrainian War and, alongside the Trade Union "May 1st", agitates for debt forgiveness to Ukraine,[11] as well as harsher sanctions and support to the labor movement in Ukraine.[12] It condemns Israel's actions against Palestinians and supports a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders.[13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Skėrytė, Jūratė (1 May 2024). "Vilniuje įkurta kairioji partija "KArtu"". LRT (in Lithuanian).
2. ^ Jačauskas, Ignas (26 January 2022). "Lietuvoje buriasi dar vienas naujas politinis judėjimas". Kauno diena.
3. ^ Kairiųjų aljansas. "Kuriasi nauja kairioji politinė jėga Lietuvoje!". BNS.
4. ^ "Naujosios kairės 95 manifestas". Archived from the original on 2012-08-25.
5. ^ Dobrovolskas, Ignas (2022-02-11). "Penktadienį "Kairiųjų aljansas" rengia piketą "Achemos" streikui palaikyti".
6. ^ Mantvydas, Paskelbė (2022-02-03). "Besikuriantis Kairiųjų aljansas: pasisakome už partnerystės instituto įteisinimą nedelsiant". Gayline.lt.
7. ^ "Central-Eastern European Green Left Alliance". Central-Eastern European Green Left Alliance.
8. ^ "KArtu. Kairiųjų aljansas". KArtu (in Lithuanian).
9. ^ "KArtu manifestas". KArtu (in Lithuanian). "Kooperatyvų judėjimas turėjo stiprią tradiciją tarpukario Lietuvoje. Būtina į ją atsigręžti, sykiu naujai plėtoti kooperatyvų patirtį, pasitelkiant geriausius pasaulio, ypač Lotynų Amerikos, pavyzdžius. Pelno ir įrankių socializacija reikštų, kad gamybiniame procese dalyvaujantys darbininkai kontroliuotų gamybą ir dalyvautų sprendžiant kooperatyvo sukuriamos pridedamosios vertės likimą. Jų svarbiausias valdymo organas – visų dirbančiųjų demokratinės asamblėjos. Visgi, ekonominė demokratija neapsiriboja tik demokratija gamybinių įmonių viduje, bet reikalauja ir gamybinių įmonių platesnės socialinės atsakomybės visuomenei. Ekonominė demokratija reiškia ir svarbiausių suinteresuotų pusių įtraukimą į sėkmingą kooperatyvų veikimą. Vietinės bendruomenės piliečiai, žaliavų tiekėjai, vartotojų organizacijos ir kitos suinteresuotos pusės taip pat turėtų įtaką gamybinių kooperatyvų veikimui. Kairiųjų aljansas įstatymais ir mokesčių lengvatomis skatins taip suprastą ekonominę demokratiją."
10. ^ "Trumpoji programa". KArtu (in Lithuanian). "Palaikysime visapusišką kariuomenės pasiruošimą krašto gynybai. Palaikome buvimą NATO sąjungoje ir saugumo erdvės ES užtikrinimą. Didinsime civilinės saugos pasiruošimą ir infrastruktūros (slėptuvių) plėtrą, kad kilus grėsmei nacionaliniam saugumui, būtų įmanoma pasirūpinti pažeidžiamiausiomis visuomenės grupėmis."
11. ^ "Išlaisvinkime Ukrainą nuo skolų naštos". Peticijos.lt.
12. ^ "Lietuvos kairieji reiškia solidarumą su Ukrainos LGBTQ+ bendruomene ir visais pažeidžiamais žmonėmis". Jarmo. 2022-02-25.
13. ^ "Facebook". Facebook. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-04.

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Political parties in Lithuania

Represented in the Seimas|

* Social Democratic Party (52)
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Defunct parties
(since 1990)|

* Centre Union
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Defunct parties
(inter-war)|

* Achdus
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* Memel Workers' Party
* Peasant Union
* Polish Socialist Party of Lithuania and Belarus
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