At least 20 Lithuanian MPs ready to resign to run for mayor

At least 20 members of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, have announced they are prepared to give up their seats to run for mayor in next year’s municipal elections, LRT reports.

The number could grow further, as parties finalise their strategies. The “Nemuno aušra” faction is expected to field multiple candidates for mayoral posts, while the Farmers and Greens Union has said it will not nominate any of its MPs for these races.

Running for mayor carries risks for sitting MPs. If they resign, their Seimas seats could be taken by other parties, weakening the current ruling majority’s grip on power.

In Vilnius, the campaign is already underway. Vytautas Sinica, an MP from the mixed parliamentary group, has launched large-scale billboards across the capital. He argues that the mayor’s office offers the best platform to address national identity and language issues, as well as the needs of his constituency, Pilaitė–Karoliniškiai.

“I see that the only position where I could do more is the mayor of Vilnius,” Sinica said.

Fellow mixed-group MP Artūras Zuokas, who recently established the committee “Vilnius gali” (“Vilnius can”), is also eyeing the mayor’s post. He believes his non-partisan status is his strongest asset, noting that party competition has cost him votes in past elections.

“One of the problems I faced in the second round is party competition—even voters from other parties might want to see me as leader, but I lose some of their votes because of it,” Zuokas explained.

Viktoras Fiodorovas, another MP from the mixed group, plans to run in Kėdainiai, expressing confidence that the town can change for the better.

Political analyst Matas Baltrukevičius highlights the Vilniaus district as a key battleground. In the last election, social democrat Robertas Duchnevičius broke the long-standing dominance of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania, a surprise victory dubbed the “miracle by Riešė.”

“The question is whether the post will return to the Electoral Action of Poles, in both the mayoral and council elections. In sports terms, it’s often easier to win a title for the first time than to defend it,” Baltrukevičius said.

Duchnevičius has not yet announced whether he will seek re-election, but another social democrat, former interior minister Vitalijus Kondratovicius, may enter the race. Ruslanas Baranovas, head of the LSDP’s election headquarters in the Vilniaus district, suggested the party aims to avoid a “one-leader culture” and may give new candidates a chance.

In Kaunas, the race is heating up. Current mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis may face challenges from social democrat Audrius Radvilavičius and liberal Simonas Kairys, both of whom believe a second round will be necessary this time.

“I think the scandals over transparency and land deals have hurt the ambition, patriotism, and love for the city among Kaunas residents,” Kairys said.

Radvilavičius added: “Everything has a beginning and an end. I’m an optimist and believe Kaunas needs change. The municipality is too centralised, too monopolised, and doesn’t communicate enough with voters. The city is not just streets—it’s people.”