The procedure by which Lithuania's parliament re-approved the government's mandate last year violated the Constitution, a court has found. However, the ruling will not come into force until the end of the cabinet's term.
The case was brought before the Constitutional Court by members of the parliamentary opposition after the majority voted to reaffirm the mandate of Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis' cabinet in August 2019.
The opposition argued that the parliament should have followed a longer procedure and voted on the government's programme, since more than half of Skvernelis' cabinet members had been replaced since 2016.
The Constitutional Court upheld the complaint.
“The government can be given its mandate in one way only, by the Seimas [parliament] approving its programme,” the court's chairman Dainius Žalimas said.
However, the ruling will not be officially announced until December 23 in order to allow the current government to finish serving its term.
Lithuania is holding parliamentary elections in October.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
