Artūras Zuokas launches ‘Vilnius Can’ committee ahead of 2027 mayoral race

A new political committee, Vilnius Can, initiated by former Vilnius mayor and current MP Artūras Zuokas, was formally established on Saturday, according to a statement reported by the BNS news agency.

The founding meeting attracted 720 participants, with 820 members signing the committee’s establishment documents. Zuokas, who plans to run for Vilnius mayor in the 2027 elections, was elected as the committee’s chairman. The nine-member board includes two deputy chairs: lawyer and Vilnius City Council member Vydūnas Sadauskas, and entrepreneur and council member Antanas Zabulis.

Outlining the committee’s priorities, Zuokas highlighted Vilnius’s pressing challenges, including traffic congestion, housing affordability, and education. The group’s activities will be guided by four core values: the individual, family, future, and responsibility.

“Vilnius is currently governed as if it were just another administrative unit, not a capital city,” Zuokas said in the statement. “We envision a different Vilnius—vibrant, growing, ambitious, with a clear direction and the courage to make bold decisions.”

Zuokas previously served as Vilnius mayor from 2000–2007 and 2011–2015. In the 2023 mayoral election, he placed second with 46.66% of the vote, losing to conservative candidate Valdas Benkunskas, who secured 52.05%. Until March 2026, Zuokas led the Centre-Right Union party, which failed to cross the parliamentary threshold in the last Seimas elections. He retained his seat by winning a single-mandate constituency for the Newcomers-Rasa group.

Lithuania’s next direct mayoral and municipal council elections are scheduled for February or March 2027.