President Gitanas Nausėda, who was re-elected for a second term on Sunday, said that he intends to remain active in economic policy and promote military and political support for Ukraine.
During the election campaign, Nausėda repeatedly stressed that his first term in office was not easy due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a migrant crisis, and the war in Ukraine. In a press conference on Monday morning, he said he does not expect his second term to be easier.
“I am closely following world events and I see that the geopolitical situation, unfortunately, will remain difficult,” Nausėda said.
Further reading
Chief of defence
One of the first second-term tasks for the president will be appointing the new chief of defence.
“Consultations have already started. [...] Now that the presidential election has taken place, we will be able to finalise these consultations,” Nausėda told a press conference on Monday,
According to him, there are “some very serious candidates” under consideration.
“They have to be not only visionaries but they have to be fully prepared in every sense. We have such candidates, and the most important thing now is to choose one of them,” Nausėda said.
The five-year term of office of Lithuania’s incumbent Defence Chief Valdemaras Rupšys ends in July.
According to the Lithuanian constitution, the chief of defence is appointed and dismissed by the president with the approval of the Seimas.
Universal consription
Asked about universal conscription, Nausėda said he expects it to be introduced in Lithuania during his second term.
“I think we have to make a very clear decision on universal conscription in the next five years. And in fact, I don’t think we need to wait five years for that,” he said.
“Of course, I am not talking about the conscription of girls. I am talking about the universal conscription of young men for the time being,” Nausėda added.
According to the re-elected president, it is important for Lithuania to first prepare the infrastructure and provide sufficient funding for universal conscription.
“We need to do a lot to ensure that universal conscription is not a mere declaration but something that can actually be implemented,” Nausėda added.
Support for Ukraine
The president-elect said that Lithuania will continue to support Ukraine militarily, politically, and economically.
“We will continue to support Ukraine and try to keep the international community’s attention on Ukraine with all out powers. This will not be easy to do because there are new hot spots in the world,” Nausėda said.
He pointed out that the situation in the Middle East is also worrying, as a humanitarian catastrophe has been created in the Gaza Strip with no solution in sight.
“That is why we will have to look together in the European Union for solutions to end this catastrophe of the 21st century. Human life is important everywhere,” Nausėda stressed.
Economic policy
Nausėda said he intends to remain active in economic policy. According to him, there are opportunities to make the necessary decisions with the new ruling majority to be elected in October.
“I have also changed in these five years. I have changed in the sense that I understand that sometimes it takes longer to achieve results,” he noted.
The president said he will continue to call for an increase in social benefits and pensions to reduce inequality in Lithuania.
In the presidential election, Nausėda was supported by the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP). Asked whether he will back LSDP in the Seimas election, the president said he intends to support any party that is ready to work constructively.
Further reading
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
