The Lithuanian parliament on Wednesday elected Social Democrat Juozas Olekas, a veteran lawmaker and former defence and health minister, as speaker of the Seimas.
Olekas, 69, won the post in a secret ballot with 84 votes in favour, 20 against, 23 abstentions and three spoiled ballots. He replaces Saulius Skvernelis of the Democrats “For Lithuania” party, which was left out of the new ruling coalition.
Born in exile in Russia, Olekas later studied medicine at Vilnius University, where he specialised in surgery, worked as a lecturer and practised as a physician.
He has served in the Seimas since 1996, except for 2019–24, when he was a member of the European Parliament. Until now, he was deputy speaker and a member of several parliamentary committees, including the National Security and Defence Committee.
His nomination was included in a coalition agreement signed in late August by the Social Democrats, the Nemunas Dawn group, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and the Christian Families Alliance. Together, the coalition holds 82 seats.
Olekas’s candidacy drew some criticism, including from fellow Social Democrat Rasa Budbergytė. Opposition Democrats briefly floated her as an alternative candidate, but Budbergytė declined to run.
The new majority and government were formed after Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas resigned amid growing scrutiny over his past and business dealings.
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