No changes expected for Seimas speaker, prime minister decision still pending

There will be no change in the position of the speaker of the Seimas, but social democrats have yet to decide on a potential change of prime minister, vice speaker Orinta Leiputė said on Friday, LRT reports.

“No, there will definitely be no changes regarding the speaker of the Seimas. This has been agreed, declared, and stated publicly,” Leiputė told journalists in the Seimas.

The current speaker, Juozas Olekas, a social democrat, was appointed on September 10 last year following a reshuffle of the ruling majority.

Leiputė confirmed that social democrats have not yet made a final decision on whether to replace the head of government. “This question is still open, and we have not yet decided on it,” she said.

Virginijus Sinkevičius, acting chairman of the Democratic Union “For Lithuania”, said after Thursday’s negotiations that the decision of social democrat leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius on whether to run for prime minister remains a key unresolved issue in coalition talks.

“For us, this is definitely not a key issue because we have a working, well-functioning prime minister, Inga Rugienienė. Any changes will be decided during the negotiations, but today everything is clear, and ultimately, the government is working today,” Leiputė said.

She added: “Potential coalition partners should not dictate to us how to behave and by what rules to play. I think this should be understood and evaluated objectively with all due respect, that there is a faction of 53 people and a faction of 13 people. I understand the desire to join the coalition as soon as possible and get to work, but there are still certain matters of common sense that should be observed.”

BNS reported that the social democrats decided last weekend to change the composition of the ruling coalition, replacing the “Nemuno aušra” party with the Democrats. Discussions about reviewing the coalition were prompted by “Nemuno aušra” representatives voting against the establishment of the Kapčiamestis polygon, criticism from the party’s leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis towards ministers and coalition decisions, as well as controversial statements. Additionally, Žemaitaitis was convicted in the first instance court for antisemitism.

The coalition currently has 80 members in parliament. A majority of social democrats, Democrats, and the Lithuanian Farmers, Greens, and Christian Families Union faction would have 75 votes.

After the 2024 Seimas elections, the social democrats formed the ruling coalition with “Nemuno aušra” and the Democrats, but last autumn, they reshuffled the majority, inviting the Lithuanian Farmers, Greens, and Christian Families Union parliamentary faction to join instead of the Democrats.