Democracy , Elections, EU – Baltic States, Lithuania

The HU-LCD secured 50 seats in the new parliament and will have a fragile majority with its coalition partners, based on the preliminary results.

Following their meeting at the Seimas early Monday morning, the leaders of the three parties issued a joint declaration on their determination to form a government led by Ingrida Simonyte.

The candidate for prime minister said her first tasks would be to review the budget and change the coronavirus crisis management model, and also to listen to medical experts' opinion before making decisions.

"First of all, probably, we should change the very management method, in our opinion, and we have said that numerous times that, first of all, it should be very clear who talks to whom, about what and how decisions are made," Simonyte said.

Political scientists say the election results reflect a wish for change. But the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union scored fairly well in rural areas and avoided a crushing defeat. "Voters looked for certain novelties and alternatives, and we now see they have found that alternative," political scientist Rima Urbonaite told LETA/BNS.

The Liberal Movement and the Freedom Party secured 13 and 11 seats respectively, meaning that the right-wing parties will have 74 representatives in the 141-seat Seimas.

The now-ruling Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Unions will have 32 representatives. Its leader Ramunas Karbauskis conceded defeat on the election night and congratulated the HU-LCD.

The Social Democratic Party of Lithuania will have 13 seats in the new parliament. The Labor Party secured ten mandates, and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance and the Social Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania will have three lawmakers each.

Party leaders will attend press conferences organized by LETA/BNS at the Martynas Mazvydas National Library of Lithuania on Monday morning and will later met with President Gitanas Nauseda.

Under the Constitution of Lithuania, the president appoints the prime minister upon the Seimas' approval. The head of state also authorized the prime minister to form a new Cabinet and approves its members.