No severance pay for outgoing members of the 20th government, says Chancellery
Sunday 5th July 2026 on 11:15 in
Lithuania
The outgoing members of the 20th government, led by Ingrida Ruginienė, are not entitled to severance pay, according to the Government Chancellery.
In a response to ELTA, the Chancellery stated: “Under the Government Law, members of the Government are not entitled to severance pay if the Government resigns under Article 9, Part 6 of the Government Law (which corresponds to the current situation). This is stipulated in Article 13 of the Government Law (Other Government Guarantees).”
The Chancellery also noted that, per Article 13, Part 2 of the Government Law, the Prime Minister’s salary is calculated and paid by the Government Chancellery, while ministers’ salaries are handled by their respective ministries. Government members are covered by state social insurance as per the State Social Insurance Law.
The referenced legal provisions state that the Government may resign upon the Prime Minister’s proposal by adopting a resolution, which the Prime Minister then submits to the President on the same day. This is how Ruginienė’s cabinet resigned.
However, the law also provides for a severance payment equivalent to two average monthly salaries if the Government member’s term ends after Seimas elections when a new cabinet is formed. A one-month salary compensation applies if the term ends due to the Seimas rejecting the new Government’s programme twice in a row, a no-confidence vote by a majority of Seimas members, the Prime Minister’s resignation or death, or if the Government fails to secure new Seimas approval after more than half of the ministers change or a new President is elected.
These compensations do not apply if the Government members are reappointed as Prime Minister or ministers in a newly formed Government, or if they are elected as Seimas members.
ELTA notes that designated Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius will present the Government’s programme to the parliament on Tuesday. The programme was registered on Friday afternoon. The Government will receive its mandate once the Seimas approves its programme by a majority vote of the participating members.
Ruginienė’s Government resigned after the ruling coalition was reformed and Sinkevičius announced his decision to take over the leadership of a new cabinet.