Liberal Movement leader criticises LSDP for treating voters as fools in early election

Liberal Movement leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen has accused the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) of treating voters like “fools” by nominating MP Ruslanas Baranovas in early parliamentary elections for the Nalšia North constituency, LRT reports.

Čmilytė-Nielsen stated that the decision demonstrates the “bankruptcy” of the younger generation of the LSDP. She argued that if Baranovas, already a sitting MP, wins the early election, another candidate from the party’s list would take his place, effectively bypassing genuine competition.

“The young social democrats are treating voters as fools. Mr. Baranovas is already an MP. If he wins, another colleague from the list will take his seat. If they truly wanted to avoid deceiving voters, the next person on the list should run instead,” she told Žinių Radijas on Friday.

She acknowledged that LSDP often cites legal arguments, noting that neither the laws nor the Constitution prohibit such a move. However, she countered: “The laws and the Constitution were not written for schemers.”

Čmilytė-Nielsen added that any reasonable person would see the absurdity in an MP already serving in the Seimas running again in an early election for the same seat, calling it not just voter deception but a sign of the younger social democrats’ complete failure.

The Central Electoral Commission (VRK) has yet to decide whether an MP elected through a multi-member constituency can participate in early single-member elections while still holding office. So far, 11 political forces and independent presidential candidate Eduardas Vaitkus have announced their intention to participate in the early election.

The early election in the Nalšia North constituency was triggered by the death of Liberal Movement MP Jevgenijus Šuklinas on May 28. The VRK revoked his mandate in early June. Šuklinas, a well-known canoeist, was elected in 2024 with the Liberal Movement and was part of its parliamentary group.

Registration for candidates will remain open until July 13. The early election is scheduled for November 8. According to the Electoral Code, early elections must be held within six months if a single-member constituency MP’s term is cut short, unless general elections are due within a year.