Temporary Main Law for the rule of Free Lithuania

Temporary Main Law for Free Lithuania adopted in 1943 (as "Temporary Main Law for the rule of New Lithuania") is effectively working as the constitution of Free Lithuania.

Should it be considered a constitution, it is the world's shortest such document. There are 4 chapters: "First Clauses" effectively suspends all Lithuanian law, "The Councils" establish a system of government, "Seimas and the Government" establishes institutions suposedly forming a continuation of interwar Lithuanian government, but actually working more as an office for foreign relations, while the "Final clauses" declares that the law comes into effect immedietly and will remain in power until the liberation of Lithuania.

Town councils and the council of the state enjoys a great power with very little limitations in Free Lithuania. This law is effectively the only law and the country is otherwise governed by council decisions. Rules of precedent and customs somewhat applies for council decisions, but they does not constrain the councils.

English translation of the law

Understanding the situation where the Lithuanian lands in Europe and Africa are occupied by foreign powers, the people of Lithuanian lands in Antarctica decide to adopt this temporary law.

First Clauses

1. While this law is in power the Constitution of Lithuania is suspended in Free Lithuania.
2. While this law is in power all the law clauses that are incompatible with any clause of this law are suspended.

The Councils

1. Free Lithuania will be subdivided into towns.
2. Each town will have its own council. All the inhabittants of the town who are citizens of Lithuania and over 18 years old shall be members of the council of their town.
3. Councils of all the towns together will be called the council of the state.
4. Town councils will meet at least once a week and when a decition needs to be done.
5. Every member will be eligible to vote freely in the council.
6. The time of the next council meeting (or regular council meetings) is written at town center and the place where council meets.
7. Irregular council meeting may be called by any member of the council. The member who initiates such meeting must make its time and reason publically available.
8. The decisions at irregular meetings are considered done only if at least 25% of members participated in that meeting. There is no quorum for regular meetings.
9. The town councils have full administrative, legislative and judicial powers in respective towns.
10. The council of the state has such powers in matters which concern more than a single town or people therein.
11. The councils are entitled to make any decisions and every such decision must be enacted.
12. The decisions in town council are done by the vote of majority of those attending. However, a previous decision can be changed or reveresed only if similar or a larger share of members vote in favour of such change than have voted for the decision to be changed.
13. If the decision was made over a year ago, than a 1% smaller share is required to change or reverse it than otherwise would be necessary. For every additional year 1 additional percent is substracted to find the required share of members to change or reverse a past decision.
14. This law may only be altered if the majority of all members of the council of the state decide so (or the number required to change or reverse previous decision, if this rule is applicable and this number is greater than half of the council members).
15. The councils may appoint persons on temporary and fair basis to certain administrative tasks. In that case the appointed persons will have the right to decide on day-to-day issues relevant for their tasks. Any such decision may be reversed by the council however.

Seimas and the Government

1. Seimas will continue to be the official legislature of Lithuania and the Government will form the executive branch.
2. All the powers of Seimas and the Government that are not specified hereinafter will be suspended while this law is in power.
3. The job of Seimas and the Government will be to represent Lithuania abroad.
4. Members of Seimas and the Government will not get any reward for their work from Lithuania.
5. Seimas will consist of 10 members from each town.
6. A person could be both a member of Seimas and a member of the Government.
7. The new Seimas and Government elections will be done in three months after passing this law. From then on the elections will take place every 3 years.
8. Town councils will elect members of Seimas and the council of the state will elect government.
9. Every member of the council is eligible to be elected if he wishes to be a candidate.
10. The council votes multiple times for every available position, and after every vote the person who scores the least votes is elminitated from eligible candidates. And so until the number of candidates remains similar to the number of respective positions.

Final clauses

1. This law comes into effect immediately.
2. This law will be considered repelled when Lithuanian-inhabitted lands outside Antarctica will be liberated and the constitutional institutions reestablished.

This page was created by Abdul-aziz.