Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party

The Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party (Lithuanian: Lietuvos krikščionių demokratų partija, LKDP) was a Christian-democratic political party in Lithuania.

A Christian Democratic movement was established in Lithuania in 1890 by a group of Roman Catholic clergy and intellectuals. It initially called for Lithuanian patriotism and the defence of the Catholic church in the face of the dominant Russian Orthodox Church. In 1904 it adopted social objectives, but also began to adopt anti-Polish and nationalist viewpoints.

The Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party (LKDP) was formally established in 1917, with its first congress held in Vilnius on 20 November 1918. It emerged as the largest party in the 1920 elections with 24 seats, and together with the Labour Federation and Farmers' Association, it formed the Christian Democratic Bloc, which together held 59 of the 112 seats.

The 1922 elections saw the LKDP remain the largest party, but the Bloc lost its majority, winning only 38 of the 78 seats. As a result it was forced to govern with the support of independents. In early elections in 1923 the Christian Democrats finished third, but the Bloc won 40 seats and were able to form a government without outside support.

The LKDP finished third again in the 1926 elections and the bloc won only 30 seats as the Labour Federation saw its support almost halve. As a result, the Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union was able to form a government with the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania and the Farmers' Party. Following the 1926 coup, the LKDP supported the Antanas Smetona government, but joined the opposition in June 1927. Several party leaders were imprisoned in 1928, and the party was finally dissolved in November 1935.

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