Second Conference of the State of Lithuania

The Second Conference of the State of Lithuania (Lithuanian: Antroji Lietuvos Valstybės konferencija) was a conference held on 16–22 January 1919 in Kaunas. It was the second conference after the Vilnius Conference in September 1917 that discussed the merits and composition of the Council of Lithuania which adopted the Act of Independence of Lithuania in February 1918.

During 1918, the Council of Lithuania made some controversial decisions (primarily related to the proclamation of a constitutional monarchy) and almost doubled in size. Thus a conference was seen as a way to renew confidence in the council. After the Armistice of 11 November 1918, Lithuania organized the first cabinet of ministers led by the Prime Minister Augustinas Voldemaras and the Council of Lithuania assumed a role equivalent to a parliament. However, the outbreak of the Lithuanian–Soviet War caused a government crisis and left-wing Mykolas Sleževičius of the Lithuanian Popular Socialist Democratic Party agreed to step up and form a new cabinet of ministers. He was particularly critical of the Council of Lithuania and demanded it did not interfere in government affairs.

The conference was attended by 197 delegates from 17 districts; 93 delegates were from the right-wing Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party. As such, the conference adopted a resolution that expressed confidence in the Council of Lithuania and criticized the government. It also elected five new members to the council, all of whom supported the Christian Democrats. However, Sleževičius continued to insist that the Council of Lithuania did not interfere with the government. The conflict led to the resignation of Sleževičius on 6 March. However, the new government which included six members of the council quickly proved to be ineffective. Sleževičius was then invited back to become prime minister. On 4 April, the temporary constitution was revised to grant more power to the government. The Council of Lithuania was effectively suspended.