Nemunaitis announces bid for Vilnius mayor

Vilnius City Council member Aleksandras Nemunaitis has announced that he will seek to become the capital’s mayor in Lithuania’s 2027 municipal elections, LRT reported on Wednesday.

“Yes, I am running for mayor of Vilnius. And I am running to win,” Nemunaitis wrote on Facebook.

He said he decided to run because the capital needed change, including more order, transparency, accountability and respect for residents.

Nemunaitis said he had recently criticised inefficient decisions, wasted opportunities, closed city management and problems that ultimately cost Vilnius residents money.

“But criticising is not enough. You must be ready to take responsibility yourself and show how the city can be governed differently,” he said.

Several political parties have already announced their candidates for Vilnius mayor. The Liberal Movement is backing Simonas Gentvilas, the Freedom Party is nominating Vytautas Mitalas, the capital’s current deputy mayor and the party’s leader, while the National Alliance is putting forward its leader, Vytautas Sinica.

Independent politician Artūras Zuokas has also announced his candidacy. He plans to establish a new political committee called Vilnius Can.

Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas, a member of the Homeland Union Lithuanian Christian Democrats, has not yet said whether he will seek another term.

Lithuania’s municipal council and mayoral elections will take place in spring 2027.