Ignas Vėgėlė, a lawyer who finished in the 2024 presidential election, announced Tuesday he was leaving the Farmers and Greens parliamentary group and would form a new political movement.
Vėgėlė rose to prominence in the Covid era by advocating against quarantine restrictions. Since then, he has positioned himself as an alternative to the traditional parties and presidential candidates. He previously called for right-wing political forces in the country to unite.
Last week, Aurelijus Veryga, the leader of the Farmers group, suggested Vėgėlė and Jankūnas leave their group due to their plans to associate with other political forces.
In March, Vėgėlė announced that he planned to mobilise parties that failed to enter parliament for future elections, although he has not yet revealed specific plans.
Veryga led the parliamentary group, which joined the governing coalition, after it merged representatives of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance, and two independents, Vėgelė and Rimas Jonas Jankūnas.
The latter MP also announced he would be leaving the group together with Vėgelė.
Last month, Jankūnas was elected chairman of the extra-parliamentary People and Justice Union (Centrists, Nationalists), replacing Member of the European Parliament Petras Gražulis.
In a press release on Tuesday, Vegėlė stated that the decision to leave was due to the growing gap between the initial agreement to form a joint faction and its actual operation, as well as the values declared before the elections and their subsequent implementation.
Vėgelė promised to remain faithful "not to political convenience, but to my conscience, values and voters".
Both politicians plan to continue their work in the non-attached group.
To form new movement
Vėgėlė said later on Tuesday that he would form a new political movement, which would likely contest next year’s municipal elections.
"I understand the nuances of municipal elections. They are completely different from parliamentary elections. They require very strong local figures and significant groundwork. For any new political force, municipal elections are particularly difficult, to put it mildly. I understand these risks. However, I believe they could serve as a preparation and a starting point for our activities," Vėgėlė told reporters.
He said it would be impossible to field candidate lists in all 60 municipalities. He suggested that in some areas, the movement might support existing political committees if their platforms align with the new force's programme.
Municipal council and direct mayoral elections are scheduled for February and March next year.
Vėgėlė confirmed he will begin touring Lithuania in May to rally supporters.
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