Social Democrats win most mayoral seats in Lithuania’s local elections

Lithuania’s municipal elections ended on Sunday. They were the most successful for the Social Democratic Party (LSDP), which won 17 mayoral posts.

Various political committees came in second, and the Liberal Movement was third. Even though the conservative Homeland Union (TS-LKD) will have its mayor in Vilnius, it performed worse than four years ago.

The largest surprise came from the residents of Vilnius District. For the first time, this municipality will be headed by a representative of a party other than the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania. In the second round, their candidate was defeated by Robert Duchnevič of LSDP.

Robert Duchnevič | E. Blažio / LRT nuotr.

“These municipal elections have once again shown that we, the Social Democratic Party, are a serious and powerful party, which is trusted by the people all over Lithuania,” Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Chairperson of LSDP, told journalists on Sunday.

The Social Democrats also won the most council seats in these municipal elections – 375. TS-LKD came in second with 244 seats.

Disappointing results

Representatives of political committees will head 11 municipalities, including Lithuania’s Kaunas and Klaipėda.

The Liberal Movement won five more mayoral seats in the second round and will lead nine municipalities in total. The Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union will have eight mayors.

TS-LKD won five mayoral seats, but the party leadership is not satisfied with the results because it currently has twice as many mayors.

“The victory of TS-LKD in Vilnius is a signal from the electorate as to what direction the party should take,” Gabrielius Landsbergis, the Chairman of the Homeland Union, said on Sunday.

Gabrielius Landsbergis | J. Stacevičiaus / LRT nuotr.

According to him, the results in other municipalities were disappointing, and the party “will analyse the reasons for this in detail”.

The Democratic Union “For Lithuania” will have five mayors, while two municipalities will be headed by mayors from the Freedom and Justice party. The Electoral Action of Poles retained one of the two mayoral posts.

One municipality, Širvintai District, will be headed by Živilė Pinskuvienė of the Party of Regions. The Freedom Party is left without municipal leaders.