Bobelis has headed the Lithuanian Christian Democratic Union up until now, while Algirdas Saudargas, elected as his deputy, was the leader of the Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party. Saudargas was Lithuanian foreign minister between 1990 and 1992, and again between 1996 and 2000.
"There are no ideological differences between us. This is why we agreed to merge. We'll be a strong center-right party. Our basis is morality and respect for civic rights. We could cooperate with the Liberal Union, the Social Democrats, the Conservatives and other parties," Bobelis told The Baltic Times.
Bobelis said confidently that his newly established party would get "15 to 18 percent of all votes in the next parliamentary elections."
The two Christian Democratic organizations decided to merge following the October 2000 parliamentary elections when, running separately, both failed to cross the required threshold of 5 percent in multi-mandate voting to place its candidates in the Seimas (Lithuania's parliament).
Before the merger, the Christian Democratic Union had one member in the Seimas, while the Christian Democratic Party was represented by two - all elected in single-seat districts. Half of Lithuanian MPs are elected in multi-mandate voting. The other half consists of winners in single-seat districts.
Until May 12, there were three Christian democratic parties represented in the Seimas. There are just two of them now.
Bobelis said that the main task is to try to unite with the third party, the comparatively new Modern Christian Democratic Union. This small group of young, liberal-minded politicians left the ranks of the Christian Democratic Party last year.
The Modern Christian Democrats formed their own party but went to parliamentary elections on the lists of other centrist parties. Now it has three MPs, making it an alluring target for Bobelis. Two of these MPs came to Parliament from the election lists of the Social Liberals and the Liberals, which now dominate the country's ruling coalition.
Saudargas' Christian Democratic Party was in the ruling majority with the Conservatives in the Seimas between 1996 and 2000. Running for municipal elections in spring 2000, the Christian Democratic Union formed a coalition with the left-wing Lithuanian Peasants' Party, but the two later split due to differences in forming an electoral list of candidates.
Bobelis describes the establishment of the merger with Saudargas' party as "a historic event in Lithuania's political, social and economical life."
Bobelis is one of the most popular politicians in Lithuania. One recent poll put him behind only Algirdas Brazauskas, leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party.
Asked by The Baltic Times about his plans to become Lithuania's new president, Bobelis answered that it is too early to speak about the presidential election campaign, which is scheduled for the winter of 2002-2003, though the exact date is still unknown.
Vytenis Andriukaitis, deputy chairman of the Social Democratic Party, was at the congress of the Lithuanian Christian Democrats. "Lithuania needs social justice and it doesn't matter whether it will be social democratic or Christian justice," Andriukaitis said in his address to the congress.
He said he hoped the Lithuanian Christian Democrats would get 70 seats (out of 141) in the next Parliament. His speech was met with enthusiastic applause.
Later he told journalists that he was not afraid of competition with the Christian Democrats. "More competitors means a more interesting life for us and for voters," Andriukaitis said smiling.
Some 30, mostly elderly, members of the Christian Democratic Party refused to merge with Bobelis' party and stormed out of the congress promising to register their own party with the old name of the Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party.
"Why is the Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party, with 11,000 members, merging with Bobelis' party, which has about 200 members. Saudargas is interested only in Bobelis' money," protested Alfonsas Svarinskas, a nationalist priest and one of those from Saudargas' party who left the congress.
"They do not have people and it is naive to think they'll form a serious party structure," Bobelis commented.
Bobelis expatriated to the United States and worked as a private surgeon there for about 40 years. Bobelis became a millionaire in the United States.
He was chairman of the America-based Chief Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania during the Soviet occupation. This committee was an organization encompassing all Lithuanian political parties in exile. It was established to fight against the Nazi occupation in Lithuania during World War II, and later moved to the West to fight against the Soviet occupation.
"The Christian Democrats nominated me to be head of the chief committee. I have been a Christian Democrat for 50 years, all my adult life. I became a Christian Democrat as a 20-year-old student," Bobelis said.
The committee was dissolved after Lithuania re-established its independence. Bobelis was its final chairman.
Bobelis set up the Christian Democratic Union when he returned to his homeland in the early 1990s. He has ranked in the "top ten" popularity list in Lithuania throughout three four-year terms in office as a Lithuanian Parliament member.
Bobelis is also well known as the man behind the recipe of a popular alcoholic beverage by the name of Bobeline, which is produced by a Lithuanian drinks company. Sometimes Bobelis goes to hospitals to perform surgical operations. He does these for free.
Bobelis says that the United States is the best example for Lithuania. He protested against the abolishment of the death penalty. His protests were not successful, but his view on the issue is popular.
Bobelis was also an active promoter of the legalization of gambling, even though this was an ethical nightmare for many in Saudargas party.
Bobelis was the main campaigner for the leftist Algirdas Brazauskas during the presidential elections of 1993. He was head of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee during the rule of the Democratic Labor Party. Now he supports the Liberal/Social Liberal coalition but chooses not to risk joining it.
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