The official questions of the Lithuanian Constitution fundamentals exam are not published, but their format is fixed by the exam programme: a short question, three answer options, one correct answer, everything in Lithuanian. The questions below are written in that format from the articles of the Constitution that come up most often. Each one is given in Lithuanian first, exactly as you would see it on the screen, then in English, followed by the answer and the article to read.
Try to answer before you look. Fourteen correct out of twenty is the real pass mark, so nine or more out of these twelve is a good sign.
1. Form of the state
Kokia yra Lietuvos valstybės valdymo forma?
What is the form of government of the Lithuanian state?
- a) Konstitucinė monarchija / Constitutional monarchy
- b) Nepriklausoma demokratinė respublika / Independent democratic republic
- c) Federacinė respublika / Federal republic
Answer: b. Article 1: "The State of Lithuania shall be an independent democratic republic." This article can be changed only by referendum with at least three quarters of all citizens with the right to vote.
2. Referendum
Kas gali paskelbti referendumą?
Who can call a referendum?
- a) Tik Respublikos Prezidentas / Only the President of the Republic
- b) Seimas arba ne mažiau kaip 300 tūkstančių piliečių reikalavimu / The Seimas, or on the demand of at least 300,000 citizens
- c) Vyriausybė / The Government
Answer: b. Article 9: a referendum is called by the Seimas in cases provided for by law, and also when at least 300,000 citizens with the right to vote so demand.
3. Voting age
Nuo kokio amžiaus piliečiai turi rinkimų teisę?
From what age do citizens have the right to vote?
- a) Nuo 16 metų / From 16
- b) Nuo 18 metų / From 18
- c) Nuo 21 metų / From 21
Answer: b. Article 34: citizens who have reached 18 years of age on the day of the election have the right to vote.
4. The Seimas
Kiek narių sudaro Seimą ir kokiam laikui jie renkami?
How many members does the Seimas have, and for what term are they elected?
- a) 141 narys, 4 metams / 141 members, 4 years
- b) 141 narys, 5 metams / 141 members, 5 years
- c) 101 narys, 4 metams / 101 members, 4 years
Answer: a. Article 55: the Seimas consists of 141 representatives of the Nation elected for a four-year term.
5. Seimas candidate
Kokio amžiaus asmuo gali būti renkamas Seimo nariu?
How old must a person be to be elected a member of the Seimas?
- a) Ne jaunesnis kaip 21 metų / At least 21
- b) Ne jaunesnis kaip 25 metų / At least 25
- c) Ne jaunesnis kaip 30 metų / At least 30
Answer: b. Article 56: a citizen who is not bound by an oath or pledge to a foreign state, is at least 25 on election day and permanently resides in Lithuania may be elected.
6. Presidential term
Kokiam laikui renkamas Respublikos Prezidentas?
For what term is the President of the Republic elected?
- a) 4 metams / 4 years
- b) 5 metams / 5 years
- c) 7 metams / 7 years
Answer: b. Article 78: the President is elected for five years and may serve no more than two consecutive terms. A candidate must be a citizen by birth, at least 40 years old and have lived in Lithuania for at least the last three years.
7. Appointing the Prime Minister
Kas skiria Ministrą Pirmininką?
Who appoints the Prime Minister?
- a) Seimas Prezidento teikimu / The Seimas on the proposal of the President
- b) Respublikos Prezidentas Seimo pritarimu / The President of the Republic with the approval of the Seimas
- c) Konstitucinis Teismas / The Constitutional Court
Answer: b. Article 92: the Prime Minister is appointed and dismissed by the President with the approval of the Seimas; ministers are appointed by the President on the proposal of the Prime Minister.
8. Constitutional Court
Iš kiek teisėjų susideda Konstitucinis Teismas ir kokiam laikui jie skiriami?
How many justices sit on the Constitutional Court and for what term?
- a) 9 teisėjai, 9 metams / 9 justices, 9 years
- b) 9 teisėjai, 5 metams / 9 justices, 5 years
- c) 12 teisėjų, 9 metams / 12 justices, 9 years
Answer: a. Article 103: nine justices appointed for a single nine-year term; every three years one third of the Court is renewed. Candidates are nominated by the President, the Speaker of the Seimas and the President of the Supreme Court and appointed by the Seimas.
9. Court system
Kuris teismas nėra numatytas Konstitucijoje?
Which court is not provided for in the Constitution?
- a) Apeliacinis teismas / The Court of Appeal
- b) Aukščiausiasis Teismas / The Supreme Court
- c) Prisiekusiųjų teismas / A jury court
Answer: c. Article 111: the courts of the Republic of Lithuania are the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, regional courts and district courts. Specialised courts may be established by law; jury courts are not mentioned.
10. State language and symbols
Kokia yra valstybinė kalba?
What is the state language?
- a) Lietuvių / Lithuanian
- b) Lietuvių ir lenkų / Lithuanian and Polish
- c) Lietuvių ir rusų / Lithuanian and Russian
Answer: a. Article 14. The neighbouring articles are also common questions: the flag is yellow, green and red (Art. 15), the coat of arms is the white Vytis on a red field (Art. 15), the capital is Vilnius (Art. 17).
11. Detention
Per kiek laiko sulaikytas asmuo turi būti pristatytas teismui?
Within what time must a detained person be brought before a court?
- a) Per 24 valandas / Within 24 hours
- b) Per 48 valandas / Within 48 hours
- c) Per 72 valandas / Within 72 hours
Answer: b. Article 20: a person detained in flagrante delicto must be brought before a court within 48 hours to decide on the validity of the detention; otherwise the person is released.
12. Amending the Constitution
Kaip Seimas priima Konstitucijos pataisą?
How does the Seimas adopt an amendment to the Constitution?
- a) Vieną kartą, daugiau kaip pusės visų Seimo narių balsų dauguma / Once, by a majority of more than half of all members
- b) Du kartus, ne mažesne kaip 2/3 visų Seimo narių balsų dauguma, su ne mažesne kaip 3 mėnesių pertrauka / Twice, by at least two thirds of all members, with a break of at least three months
- c) Tik referendumu / Only by referendum
Answer: b. Article 148. Only Article 1 and Chapters I and XIV must be amended by referendum; a rejected amendment may not be resubmitted for a year.
What these questions show
Almost every question is about a number, a term or an actor: 141, 25, 40, 5 years, 9 justices, 48 hours, 300,000 citizens, two thirds. The vocabulary repeats: renkamas (is elected), skiriamas (is appointed), kadencija (term), ne mažiau kaip (not less than), daugiau kaip pusė (more than half). If you can read these words and hold the numbers in a table, you can answer most of the real test. The Konstitucijos testas app has 350+ questions of this kind, each shown in Lithuanian with a translation and followed by an explanation and the quoted article, plus an exam simulator with the real 20-question, 14-to-pass format.