The Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania became a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union back in 1923 and took part in its assemblies until 1928. Back then, this organisation became an important forum for international cooperation for Lithuania, and the participation of the Seimas Members in the assemblies was widely covered by the Lithuanian press.

After the restoration of independence, Lithuania renewed its membership in the Inter-Parliamentary Union in 1991. Its delegation comprised 47 Members of the Seimas.

Since 1996, the Lithuanian delegation included all Members of the Seimas and the Speaker of the Seimas, i.e. there was no fixed-form delegation for permanent relations with the Inter-Parliamentary Union. In each case, an ad hoc delegation was sent to the events of the Inter-Parliamentary Union by the Board of the Seimas.

Since 2004, the Seimas started forming its permanent parliamentary delegations to the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

In 1994, at the invitation of Česlovas Juršėnas, Speaker of the Seimas, Pierre Cornillon, Secretary General of the IPU, visited Vilnius. During the meeting, Česlovas Juršėnas and Pierre Cornillon discussed what kind of assistance the Inter-Parliamentary Union could provide to the Seimas. Mr Cornillon also met with members of the Lithuanian group for the Inter-Parliamentary Union and Povilas Gylys, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

On 6–8 June 2016, at the invitation of Loreta Graužinienė, Speaker of the Seimas, Saber Chowdhury, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, visited Lithuania. This was the first visit of such a high-ranking official in our country. It was noted during the meeting with the Speaker of the Seimas that the IPU was an important global parliamentary forum, which had become the base of inter-parliamentary dialogue and parliamentary diplomacy. In close cooperation with the United Nations, the organisation contributes significantly to resolution of international problems, conflict prevention and defence of human rights. Mr Chowdhurry gave a speech at a Seimas sitting and visited the exhibition in the Seimas’ Stained Glass Gallery dedicated to Lithuania’s membership of the IPU.

In October 2014, the geopolitical Twelve Plus Group elected Vytautas Gabšys, Head of the Seimas Delegation, to represent the Group at the Board of the Forum of Young Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. This was the first time that a representative of the Seimas delegation was elected to the IPU bodies to represent Europe and other developed democracies.

Vytautas Gapšys (on the left), Head of the Seimas Delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union meets with Saber Chowdhury, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Photo of the Office of the Seimas, 7 June 2016

Under the Statutes of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, each parliament has the right to decide on the form and size of the delegation to the IPU, but the delegation must include both male and female representatives.

Funding. The budget of the Inter-Parliamentary Union is composed of the contributions of each Member. The annual fee for Lithuania’s membership of the IPU is about EUR 19,500 (depending on the Swiss franc exchange rate), and the membership in the geopolitical Twelve Plus Group amounts to EUR 536.

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On 8 December 2020, during the 2020–2024 term of office, the Seimas, acting in compliance with Article 81(1) of its Statute, formed 10 parliamentary delegations, including the Seimas Delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The Seimas approved Laima Mogenienė as Head of the Delegation with Kęstutis Glaveckas as Deputy Head.