Petrograd Seimas ( or ) was a conference of Lithuanian activists in Petrograd, Russian Republic, held on to discuss the political future of Lithuania. Citing the right of self-determination, the delegates discussed whether Lithuania should seek autonomy or full independence. While it failed to unite Lithuanian activists, it helped to crystallize ideas on Lithuania's independence. The February Revolution brought political freedoms and Lithuanians hurried to organize their political parties. There was a need to organize an authoritative political body that could represent all Lithuanians and work towards obtaining autonomy or full independence from Russia. Representatives of five Lithuanian parties established the Council of the Lithuanian Nation () in February 1917. To boost its authority and recognition, the council called the Petrograd Seimas attended by 334 deputies. There were passionate disagreements between the political right (Party of National Progress, Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party) and left (Popular Union of Lithuanian Socialists, Social Democratic Party of Lithuania) both on procedural questions and fundamental issues. The left advocated for autonomy within Russia while the right advocated for full independence. When the right won by a narrow margin of votes, the socialists withdrew in protest. Such splintering of the Lithuanian movement brought an end to the Council of the Lithuanian Nation and Lithuanians were unable to gain any kind of recognition or acknowledgement from the Russian Provisional Government before it was toppled in the October Revolution. Political initiative was taken over by Lithuanians in German-occupied Lithuania when they organized Vilnius Conference and elected the Council of Lithuania in September 1917. Council of the Lithuanian Nation Lithuania was occupied by Germany when Russian Imperial Army abandoned the territory during the Great Retreat in September 1915. As many as 200,000 Lithuanians, including activists and intellectuals, evacuated deeper into Russia. The Tsarist regime limited political activities and Lithuanians did not have a political center in Russia. After the February Revolution, restrictions on political activities were lifted. In January 1917, a meeting of Moscow Lithuanians and Lithuanian representatives in the Russian State Duma delegated Stasys Šilingas to organize an authoritative body that could represent all Lithuanians and their political aspirations. On , representatives of five Lithuanian parties gathered to the so-called Small Seimas of Petrograd. Each party sent ten representatives, ten others were independents, and another ten were guests. The parties were Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party, Democratic National Freedom League (known as Santara), Popular