Gabrielius Landsbergis, the chairman of the conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), is stepping down as the party’s leader after the Seimas elections.
Lansdbergis said he took this decision after receiving a signal from the voters as the TS-LKD lost the ruling majority in the parliament and he himself lost in the Centro-Žaliakalnis single-member constituency.
“The voters’ signal is quite clear, both for the party and for me personally, and it would be a mistake not to hear it. Having heard the signal, which I take very seriously, I am taking the decision to step down today as chairman of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats,” Landsbergis told a press conference on Monday morning.
The politician also announced that he will not serve in the next Seimas, which means that the mandate will go to the next politician on the party’s list in the multi-member constituency.
“In addition, as the signal is not only to the political force but also to me personally, I am taking the decision to take a break in my political career and to pass on the mandate, which I am very grateful to the electorate for, to the next colleague on the list,” he said.
Landsbergis said the main reason for his decision was the election results.
“However, I cannot ignore the fact that the party is becoming a hostage to a highly negative discourse or narrative linked to me or my family,” he noted.
“I believe the party should be free to explore how to transform and find its way forward without being weighed down by issues connected to my person [...], which recur as part of election campaigns or the political agenda,” Landsbergis added.
He said that he sees outgoing Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė as the party’s next leader.
“There are a number of choices for the chairmanship; I’d say the process will be interesting and competitive. Would I see Ingrida Šimonytė as chair? Definitely,” he said.
Landsbergis lost his single-member constituency race to Simonas Kairys of the Liberal Movement.
Preliminary figures from the Central Electoral Commission show that the conservatives came in second in the parliamentary election, securing 28 seats in the 141-member parliament, well behind the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party with 52 seats.
The Dawn of the Nemunas (Nemuno Aušra) Party finished third with 20 seats, followed by the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” with 14, the Liberal Movement with 12, and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union with 8.
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