The government led by Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas will resign early next week, with a cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday to formalise the decision, according to the government’s official website.
The meeting agenda lists only one item – the government’s resignation.
Paluckas is currently on vacation, and Finance Minister Rimantas Šadžius is serving as acting prime minister. It remains unclear whether Paluckas will return to lead the cabinet during its formal resignation.
Under Lithuanian law, the president must be notified of the government’s resignation on the same day it is submitted.
President Gitanas Nausėda will then be required to sign a decree accepting the resignation, instructing the outgoing government to remain in office on an interim basis until a new cabinet is formed. He must also appoint a temporary prime minister.
From the date of resignation, Nausėda has no more than 15 days to submit a nominee for permanent prime minister to the parliament.
The new candidate is expected to be proposed by the Social Democratic Party, which holds the largest faction in the parliament, Seimas. The party plans to decide on a nominee during a presidium meeting, with the date expected to be announced Friday.
If the parliament approves the nominee, the incoming prime minister will have 15 days to present a new cabinet and government programme, both of which must receive parliamentary approval.
The change in leadership may also require an update to the ruling coalition’s agreement, which currently pledges support for the cabinet led by Paluckas.
Members of the Democrats “For Lithuania” party, which is a junior partner in the current coalition, have indicated they may push for changes to the coalition’s composition, potentially excluding the Nemunas Dawn party, another junior partner.
Paluckas announced Thursday that he will step down not only as prime minister but also as chair of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, amid growing internal and public pressure.
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