of the Seimas' presidium took two and a half days. After disagreements, the Popular Union of Lithuanian Socialists withdrew from the proceedings and the first presidium was elected without its deputies. Lithuanian soldiers – they organized a congress at the same time to establish the Union of Lithuanian Soldiers () – intervened, dismissed the first presidium, and brought back the socialists. The second presidium was elected from representatives of five parties (the National Union of Lithuanian Catholics was excluded). Socialist was elected chairman. Even more heated discussions followed. The deputies could not agree on the future of Lithuania – should it seek autonomy within Russia or full independence? The full independence was supported by the right wing – the Party of National Progress (Augustinas Voldemaras, Martynas Yčas) and Christian Democrats (Mykolas Krupavičius, , ). Socialists (Mykolas Sleževičius) and members of the Democratic National Freedom League (Petras Leonas, Stasys Šilingas) supported autonomy. Seven draft resolutions were prepared and then consolidated into two. In the end, the resolution calling for full independence won by a narrow margin (140 votes for, 128 votes against, and four abstentions). The resolution explicitly called for an independent Lithuania organized on democratic principles that would guarantee equal rights regardless of nationality, sex, or religion. The other resolution received 132 votes in favor. It did not explicitly call for either independence or autonomy, leaving the issue to the future Constituent Assembly, but emphasized the right of self-determination and planned to petition Russian and other democratic governments to gain recognition of such right. Both resolutions agreed that Lithuania's future was not an internal Russian issue, but an international question that should be addressed at the future peace conference where Lithuania should be fully represented. The socialists did not accept the vote and left the Seimas. Separately, they adopted their own resolution and presented it to the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies which convened on 16 June. Aftermath and evaluation Due to the disagreements and inability to adopt a common resolution, the Council of the Lithuanian Nation splintered and became inactive. Its last meeting took place on 29 June [O.S.]. However, fundamentally, both sides sought the same – freedom for Lithuania – and disagreed only on what course of action was more realistic and politically prudent. Socialists later argued that they did not oppose independence and that their position was just a tactic to tread