The opposition Social Democrats (LSDP) won the Lithuanian parliamentary elections on Sunday, the 27th of October, and will have the largest faction in the next parliament, taking on the ruling Homeland Union-LCD (HU-LCD) of Prime Minister Ingrid Šimonite, reports Reuters and LRT.
According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), the turnout in the second round was 41.31%, significantly lower than in the first round (52%).
Official government figures show that the centre-left faction won 52 seats in the 141-seat assembly. The ruling party HU-LCD came second with 28 seats.
LSDP leader Vilija Blinkeviciute told reporters that her party, together with its potential coalition partners, the Democrats “For Lithuania” and the Greens and Peasants Union, would win a majority in the parliament.
“The results of these elections showed that the people of Lithuania, no matter where they live – in cities, towns or villages – want change,” she said.
She refused to confirm whether she would run for prime minister: “We will discuss this in the party, we will weigh up all the pros and cons”.
Preliminary official figures show that the “For Lithuania” party won 14 seats in Parliament, while the Union of Peasants and Greens won eight seats.
After a closed-door meeting, social democratic leader and democrats’ chairman Saulius Skvernelis told journalists that the two parties had agreed to continue consultations on forming a governing coalition.
To win a majority, the coalition needs at least 71 seats in the 141-seat Seimas.
Economic inequality was at the heart of the Lithuanian election campaign, with the Social Democrats arguing for higher taxes on the wealthy to increase funding for healthcare and social support, while also pledging to maintain significant public defence spending, estimated at around 3% of GDP next year, in the face of security concerns around Russia and Belarus.
Lithuania has a hybrid voting system, under which half of parliament was elected in a popular vote on the 13th of October. The remaining 63 MPs were elected on Sunday in a run-off election between the two leading candidates.