Bilotaitė seeks to leave parliament to focus on herself and family

Conservative MP Agnė Bilotaitė has asked to give up her seat in Lithuania’s parliament, saying she needs more time for herself and her family, LRT reported.

Bilotaitė said she submitted a written request to the Central Electoral Commission on Monday to end her parliamentary mandate. She hopes to leave office on October 14. The commission is due to consider the matter at its meeting on October 8.

“I have decided to step back from active politics, but I will remain a member of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats,” Bilotaitė said. She has no immediate plans for work and intends to focus on her health and her family’s needs.

Bilotaitė said the decision had been developing for some time and was difficult, but she felt it could not be delayed. She apologised to those who might be disappointed and said she was handing unfinished work to others. She added that stepping back would allow her to take on new projects in the future.

She was elected to parliament in 2024 from the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats’ candidate list and has served as an MP since 2008. During the current term, she worked on the Legal Affairs and Law Enforcement Committee and the parliamentary commission for oversight of criminal intelligence. She also chaired a temporary women MPs’ group and a working group on improving legal rules to prevent and address sexual harassment and violence.

Party leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas thanked Bilotaitė for her years of work and said the party respected her personal decision. He also noted that she had served as interior minister during a difficult period.

Kęstutis Masiulis, the next candidate on the party list, said he was ready to return to parliament if the commission offered him the seat. He said he hoped to work on public administration and that his position on the council of Mykolas Romeris University would not prevent him from returning.