TS-LKD branches propose 21 potential candidates for Kaunas mayor

The opposition Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) branches in Kaunas have finalised their list of potential candidates for the city’s mayoral election, proposing 21 individuals, party leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas told BNS on Tuesday.

Among the nominees are both party members and non-members, including Seimas members Gintarė Skaistė and Giedrė Balčytytė, signatory of Lithuania’s independence act Aleksandras Abišala, former deputy agriculture minister Laura Ramanauskaitė, director of the National Kaunas Drama Theatre Egidijus Stancikas, TS-LKD faction elder in the Kaunas City Council Martynas Prievelis, and director, publicist, and civic activist Šarūnas Jasiukevičius.

According to TS-LKD executive secretary Kamilė Gogelienė, the Kaunas Union Council will meet on Thursday, July 23, to decide which candidates will participate in the open primary elections. No more than five candidates will be selected. Before the vote, all nominees will be asked whether they consent to run in the primaries. Kasčiūnas estimates that three or four candidates will remain after the survey.

Under the approved schedule, registration of party supporters will take place from August 4 to 20, with the primaries held on August 29–30 in Kaunas. TS-LKD states it is the first party in Lithuania to organise open candidate elections, or “democracy festivals,” allowing participation not only from party members but also from supporters who share its values.

Kaunas has been governed by Visvaldas Matijošaitis since 2015, running under the “United Kaunas” committee. In the last municipal elections, he was elected in the first round, while the TS-LKD candidate Vytautas Juozapaitis finished third with 9.61% of the vote. Direct elections for mayors and municipal councils will take place in February–March 2027.