The questions of the Lithuanian Constitution fundamentals exam are not published, but the list of topics they are written from is public. It is set in the exam programme approved by the Ministers of Education and Justice in 2004 and amended in 2009, and it follows the chapters of the Constitution almost one to one. If you know what each topic group asks about, you can read the relevant articles instead of the whole text and spend your time on the numbers and procedures that the test actually checks. Below is the programme in order, with the articles to read and the facts that come up again and again.
1. The State of Lithuania (Chapter I, Articles 1–17)
Topics: the form of government and political system, the sovereignty of the Nation, the institutions that exercise state power, the validity of the Constitution and laws, referendums, the territory, citizenship, the state language, the anthem, flag and coat of arms.
Facts to know: Lithuania is an independent democratic republic (Art. 1). Sovereignty belongs to the Nation, which exercises it directly or through elected representatives (Art. 2–4). State power is exercised by the Seimas, the President, the Government and the courts (Art. 5). The Constitution is an integral and directly applicable act; a law contrary to it is invalid (Art. 6–7). The territory is unitary and indivisible (Art. 10). A referendum is called by the Seimas or on the demand of 300,000 citizens (Art. 9). The state language is Lithuanian (Art. 14). The flag is yellow, green and red (Art. 15), the coat of arms is the white Vytis on a red field, the anthem is "Tautiška giesmė" (Art. 16), the capital is Vilnius (Art. 17). Citizenship is acquired by birth or on other grounds set by law; as a rule nobody may be a citizen of Lithuania and another state at the same time (Art. 12).
2. The individual and the State (Chapter II, Articles 18–37)
Topics: the right to life, personal liberty, dignity and privacy, property and home, freedom of conviction, thought, religion and conscience, equality before the law, access to court, electoral rights, freedom of association, and the limits of rights and freedoms.
Facts to know: human rights are innate (Art. 18). Nobody may be arrested without a court decision, and a detained person must be brought before a court within 48 hours (Art. 20). The presumption of innocence and the right to defence (Art. 31). Property is inviolable and may be taken only for public needs with fair compensation (Art. 23). Citizens who have reached 18 have the right to vote (Art. 34). Rights may be restricted only by law and only to protect the rights of others, public order and security (Art. 28).
3. Society and the State (Chapter III, Articles 38–45)
Topics: family and the State, education, religion and church, censorship of mass media.
Facts to know: marriage is concluded by the free consent of a man and a woman (Art. 38). Education is compulsory for persons under 16 and free of charge in state and municipal general education, vocational and higher schools; higher education is free for citizens who study well (Art. 41). There is no state religion (Art. 43). Censorship of mass media is prohibited (Art. 44).
4. The national economy and labour (Chapter IV, Articles 46–54)
Topics: the economy, objects belonging to the State by exclusive right, the right to work and to business, the right to strike, safe working conditions, social security and health care.
Facts to know: the economy is based on private property, freedom of individual economic activity and initiative (Art. 46). Underground resources, inland and territorial waters, forests, parks, roads and objects of historical, archaeological and cultural value of state importance belong to the Republic by exclusive right (Art. 47). Everyone may freely choose an occupation and business (Art. 48). Employees have the right to strike (Art. 51). The State guarantees the right to old-age and disability pensions and social assistance (Art. 52).
5. The Seimas (Chapter V, Articles 55–76)
This is the largest chapter and produces the most questions. Topics: elections, requirements for candidates, early elections, the mandate of a member, rights and duties, immunity, termination of powers, sessions, functions, the right of legislative initiative, entry into force of laws, the Seimas ombudsmen, impeachment.
Facts to know: 141 members elected for four years by universal, equal and direct suffrage in a secret ballot (Art. 55). A candidate must be at least 25 and permanently reside in Lithuania (Art. 56). Regular sessions: spring from 10 March to 30 June, autumn from 10 September to 23 December (Art. 64). Members may not be prosecuted, detained or otherwise restricted without the consent of the Seimas (Art. 62). The right of legislative initiative belongs to members of the Seimas, the President, the Government and 50,000 citizens (Art. 68). A law returned by the President is adopted again by a majority of more than half of all members, or three fifths for constitutional laws (Art. 72). Impeachment requires three fifths of all members (Art. 74). The Seimas ombudsmen examine complaints about abuse of office and bureaucracy by officials (Art. 73).
6. The President of the Republic (Chapter VI, Articles 77–90)
Topics: the head of state, requirements for candidates, elections, powers, immunity, termination of powers, temporary substitution.
Facts to know: the President is the head of state (Art. 77). A candidate must be a citizen by birth, at least 40 years old, have lived in Lithuania for the last three years and be eligible for the Seimas (Art. 78). Elected for five years, no more than two consecutive terms (Art. 78). Elected in the first round by more than half of all voters if more than half took part; otherwise a second round between the two leading candidates two weeks later (Art. 81). The President appoints the Prime Minister with the approval of the Seimas, signs and promulgates laws or returns them within ten days, is Commander-in-Chief (Art. 84–85). When the President is temporarily absent or dies, the Speaker of the Seimas substitutes (Art. 89).
7. The Government (Chapter VII, Articles 91–101)
Topics: composition, appointment and dismissal of the Prime Minister and ministers, functions, responsibility, substitution, immunity, resignation.
Facts to know: the Government consists of the Prime Minister and ministers (Art. 91). The Prime Minister is appointed and dismissed by the President with the approval of the Seimas; ministers are appointed by the President on the Prime Minister's proposal (Art. 92). Within 15 days of appointment the Prime Minister presents the Government programme to the Seimas (Art. 92). The Government returns its powers to the President after Seimas elections and after a presidential election (Art. 92, 101). The Government must resign when the Seimas rejects its programme twice in a row or expresses no confidence by a majority of all members (Art. 101).
8. The Constitutional Court (Chapter VIII, Articles 102–108)
Facts to know: nine justices appointed for a single nine-year term, one third renewed every three years; candidates are nominated in equal numbers by the President, the Speaker of the Seimas and the President of the Supreme Court, and appointed by the Seimas (Art. 103). The Court decides whether laws and acts of the Seimas, the President and the Government comply with the Constitution (Art. 105). Its decisions are final and cannot be appealed (Art. 107).
9. The Court (Chapter IX, Articles 109–118)
Facts to know: justice is administered only by courts (Art. 109). The court system: the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, regional courts and district courts; specialised courts may be established (Art. 111). Judges of the Supreme Court are appointed by the Seimas on the proposal of the President; judges of the Court of Appeal by the President with the approval of the Seimas; judges of regional and district courts by the President (Art. 112). Cases are heard in public unless the law provides otherwise (Art. 117). The Prosecutor General is appointed and dismissed by the President with the assent of the Seimas (Art. 118).
10. Local self-government and governance (Chapter X, Articles 119–124)
Facts to know: municipal councils are elected for four years by the residents of the administrative unit (Art. 119). Municipalities draft and approve their own budgets and set local levies (Art. 121). Governance in higher administrative units is organised by the Government; Government representatives supervise whether municipalities observe the Constitution and laws (Art. 123).
11. Finances and the state budget (Chapter XI, Articles 125–132)
Facts to know: the Bank of Lithuania has the exclusive right to issue money; its Chairperson is appointed by the Seimas on the proposal of the President for five years (Art. 125–126). The budget year begins on 1 January and ends on 31 December (Art. 129). The Government drafts the budget and submits it to the Seimas at least 75 days before the end of the budget year; the Seimas approves it by law (Art. 130–131).
12. State Control (Chapter XII, Articles 133–134)
Facts to know: State Control supervises the lawfulness of the management and use of state property and the execution of the budget; the Auditor General is appointed by the Seimas on the proposal of the President for five years (Art. 133–134).
13. Foreign policy and national defence (Chapter XIII, Articles 135–146)
Facts to know: foreign policy follows the universally recognised principles of international law (Art. 135). International treaties ratified by the Seimas are part of the legal system (Art. 138). The State Defence Council consists of the President, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Seimas, the Minister of National Defence and the Commander of the Armed Forces (Art. 140). The Seimas declares martial law and mobilisation; the President may do so between sessions and convene the Seimas (Art. 142). A state of emergency is declared by the Seimas for up to six months (Art. 144).
14. Amending the Constitution (Chapter XIV, Articles 147–149)
Facts to know: an amendment may be proposed by at least one quarter of all members of the Seimas or by 300,000 voters (Art. 147). Article 1 ("Lithuania is an independent democratic republic") may be amended only by referendum with at least three quarters of all citizens with the right to vote; Chapters I and XIV only by referendum (Art. 148). Other amendments are adopted by the Seimas twice, with at least three months between the votes, by two thirds of all members each time (Art. 148). A rejected amendment may not be resubmitted for a year (Art. 148).
How to use this list
Read the articles listed for each topic in Lithuanian with a translation next to them, and note every number, deadline and majority. Then practise section by section: the Seimas, the President, the Government and the courts together cover roughly half of a typical test. The Konstitucijos testas app is organised in exactly these fourteen sections, links every question to the article it comes from and tracks which sections you still get wrong.