EP election date will benefit Lithuania’s conservatives, complain other parties

Holding the European Parliament elections on a different day than Lithuania’s presidential vote favours the conservatives, some parties complain.

They argue that low turnout will benefit the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) because they have a more disciplined voter base.

Lithuania is holding presidential election on May 12 next year, with the presumed run-off vote two weeks later, on May 26. Meanwhile, the Council of the European Union has confirmed that EP elections in member states will have to be held between June 6-9.

“After two rounds of the presidential election – and I have no doubt that there will be two rounds – we will invite people to come back three weeks later for the [EP] elections, which they are not too worried about. Those who come to the polls come hell or high water are the Homeland Union voters,” said Saulius Skvernelis, leader of the opposition Democratic Union “For Lithuania”.

Saulius Skvernelis | L. Bartkus / LRT nuotr.

He said this was the reason why the ruling party had made no effort to lobby the EU to adjust the date of the EP vote so that it could be held alongside Lithuania’s presidential election.

Vytautas Mitalas, deputy parliament speaker and a representative of the ruling liberal Freedom Party, also agrees that the low turnout in elections “usually benefits one big party on the right”, referring to the TS-LKD.

“I think that Lithuania should have negotiated actively in order to have the same date as before,” Mitalas said.

On Tuesday, a proposal is expected to be submitted to the Lithuanian parliament to hold the EP elections on June 9, 2024.

Conservative MP Mantas Maldeikis, who is on the European Affairs Committee, says the EP election dates were chosen because of Germany.

Matas Maldeikis | E. Blažio / LRT nuotr.

“There were long debates, because some people wanted it one way, some wanted it another way, and there was a consensus, but it was mainly Germany – and I don’t think I’m going to give away any secrets here, so that Germany could participate effectively in the elections – and Portugal,” the politician said.

“I fully understand what that might look like, but this is a question for Germany. Certainly Lithuania has made an effort” to have another election date, he insisted.