Vilnius (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Lithuania’ centre-left opposition groups marked victory after prevailing over the centre-right ruling coalition in the conclusive round of national elections.
According to 100% of votes counted from 27 Oct 2024 polls, the Social Democrats succeeded 52 seats in the 141-seat parliament, known as the Seimas, concluding the four-year rule of the Homeland Union government headed by conservative Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.
How will social democrats shape Lithuania’s future government?
The Social Democrats will begin talks on forming a majority cabinet with two smaller centre-left parties, the Democratic Union and the Union of Peasants and Greens, which succeeded respectively 14 and 8 seats. The coalition is anticipated to control at least 74 seats.
Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, who leads the Social Democrats, thanked allies as a cheering crowd celebrated victory in downtown Vilnius. “I am very grateful to the people of Lithuania who were so active today voting for us” she stated adding that “the results have shown that the people want change, a completely different government.”
Will Lithuania’s foreign policy shift under new leadership?
The election in Lithuania, which touches Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave to the west and Belarus to the east, came at a time when Russia’s fighting in Ukraine is fueling greater worries about Moscow’s intentions, especially in the strategically important Baltic region.
Experts say there won’t be any meaningful change in Lithuania’s foreign policy. The European Union and NATO members are relentless supporters of Ukraine. The outgoing administration faced criticism for the strict measures it assumed during the pandemic, with many complaining that her government didn’t do enough to help businesses during lockdown. Others express thousands of people didn’t have proper access to health care.
Lithuania has claimed its eastern neighbour, as well as Russia, was staging the influx of people, mostly from Africa and the Middle East. Although the country has witnessed annual double-digit personal income expansion and has one of the lowest inflation rates in the 27-nation bloc.
