Gražulis targets Lazdijai mayoralty as Jankūnas seeks Kaunas post

European Parliament member Petras Gražulis will seek the mayorship of Lazdijai district in Lithuania’s 2027 municipal elections, while parliamentarian Rimas Jonas Jankūnas will run for mayor of Kaunas, LRT reported, citing BNS.

The decisions were made at a council meeting of the Union of Nation and Justice, a centrist and nationalist party, Gražulis told BNS on Saturday.

“The party branch has nominated me. If Lithuania and the party are calling, I will follow the party’s position and run for mayor,” he said.

Gražulis said he would give up the European Parliament mandate he won in June 2024 if elected.

He said his main goal was to oppose the planned military training ground in Kapčiamiestis, a town in Lazdijai district. Lithuania is establishing the training ground as part of the creation of a national division and the deployment of a German brigade, which requires additional land for military exercises, BNS reported.

Gražulis said the party had also decided that Jankūnas, who was elected party chairman in March, would seek the Kaunas mayoralty. Jankūnas entered parliament in the autumn on the list of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and initially worked in a joint parliamentary group with the Union of Christian Families, but later left it.

In Klaipėda, Gražulis’ political ally and former parliamentarian Naglis Puteikis will run for mayor.

The party has approved 14 mayoral candidates in total. The municipal elections will take place in February and March 2027.