Lithuania's Social Democrats Unseat Ruling Conservatives in Election Upset

Lithuania's centre-left opposition parties, led by the Social Democrats headed by Vilija Blinkeviciute, successfully ended the four-year rule of the centre-right Homeland Union in the national elections. Together with the Democratic Union and the Union of Peasants and Greens, the coalition aims to form a government, controlling 74 seats.

In a pivotal national election, Lithuania’s centre-left opposition parties, spearheaded by the Social Democrats, celebrated a significant victory over the ruling conservatives. With the final votes counted, the Social Democrats secured 52 seats in the nation’s Seimas, marking the end of the Homeland Union's four-year governance led by Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyte.

Social Democrat leader Vilija Blinkeviciute extended gratitude to supporters amid celebrations in downtown Vilnius, emphasizing the electorate’s desire for change. Analysts attribute the election outcome to a historic voting pattern in Lithuania, where government change is a common theme each electoral cycle.

This shift comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension, with Lithuania's strategic position in Eastern Europe. Even amid successes in economic metrics like personal income growth, criticism of the outgoing government over pandemic measures and migration handling dampened its popularity among voters.

(With inputs from agencies.)