2020 Lithuanian parliamentary election

Last updated

2020 Lithuanian parliamentary election
Flag of Lithuania.svg
  2016 11 October 2020 (first round)
25 October 2020 (second round)
2024  

All 141 seats in the Seimas
71 seats needed for a majority
Turnout47.81% (Decrease2.svg2.80pp)
PartyLeader%Seats+/–
TS–LKD Gabrielius Landsbergis 25.7750+19
LVŽS Ramūnas Karbauskis 18.0732−22
DP Viktor Uspaskich 9.7710+8
LSDP Gintautas Paluckas 9.5813−4
LP Aušrinė Armonaitė 9.4511New
LRLS Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen 7.0413−1
LLRA–KŠS Valdemar Tomaševski 4.973−5
LSDDP Gediminas Kirkilas 3.283New
LT Remigijus Žemaitaitis 2.061New
LŽP Remigijus Lapinskas 1.7010
Independents 40
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Lithuanian Seimas 2020 election first round - SMC results.svg
Lithuanian Seimas 2020 election second round - SMC results.svg
Prime Minister beforePrime Minister after
Saulius Skvernelis
Independent
(endorsed by LVŽS)
Ingrida Šimonytė
Independent
(endorsed by TS-LKD)

Parliamentary elections were held in Lithuania on 11 and 25 October 2020 to elect the 141 members of the Seimas. [1] 71 were elected in single-member constituencies using the two-round system, and the remaining 70 in a single nationwide constituency using proportional representation. The first round was held on 11 October and the second round on 25 October.

Contents

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Lithuanian parliamentary election had the second-lowest turnout in first round elections to the Seimas since the Republic of Lithuania was restored in the early 1990s (the lowest occurred in 2004).

Electoral system

The Seimas has 141 members, elected to a four-year term in parallel voting, with 71 members elected in single-seat constituencies and 70 members elected by proportional representation. [2] The voting in the elections is open to all citizens of Lithuania who are at least 18 years old.

Parliament members in the 71 single-seat constituencies are elected in a majority vote, with a run-off held within 15 days, if necessary. The remaining 70 seats are allocated to the participating political parties using the largest remainder method. Parties normally need to receive at least 5% (7% for multi-party electoral lists) of the votes to be eligible for a seat. Candidates take the seats allocated to their parties based on the preference lists submitted before the election and adjusted by preference votes given by the voters. [2]

To be eligible for election, candidates must be at least 25 years old on the election day, not under allegiance to a foreign state and permanently reside in Lithuania. Persons serving or due to serve a sentence imposed by the court 65 days before the election are not eligible. Also, judges, citizens performing military service, and servicemen of professional military service and officials of statutory institutions and establishments may not stand for election. [2] In addition, a person who has been removed from office through impeachment may not be elected. [3]

Background

The 2016 election was a surprise landslide victory for the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS), which won 54 seats, including half of the single-member constituencies. The Skvernelis Cabinet took office with the support of LVŽS and Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP). The latter party split in 2017 due to disagreement about government participation, with some of its MPs forming the Social Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania (LSDDP) with members of the Labour Party. Lacking support in Parliament, the government passed a cooperation agreement with Order and Justice (TT) in 2018. After the 2019 presidential election, Order and Justice and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance joined a coalition. Later the same year, Order and Justice were expelled from the coalition.

A proposal to reduce the size of the Seimas from 141 to 121 seats failed following a referendum held in May 2019. In the same year, Ramūnas Karbauskis and Naglis Puteikis proposed bill, which reduced electoral threshold from 5% to 3%, but due to President of the Republic of Lithuania veto, this proposal was not implemented. [4] [5]

In 2020, single-member constituencies were redrawn: one constituency was added in Vilnius, one constituency was removed in Kaunas, new worldwide constituency was established and constituencies in rural areas were enlarged. [6]

COVID-19 effects

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Central Electoral Commission proposed extension on early voting (four days instead two days). [7] In the second round special polling places for self-isolating voters were set up in Vilnius, Kaunas, Šiauliai and Raseiniai districts. [8]

On 21 October, a few days before the second round, Lithuanian municipalities were divided into green, yellow and red "risk zones", with de facto lockdown rules, mask mandates and limits on capacities.

Parties

Party / Electoral list [9] Abbr.LeaderIdeologyPolitical
position
2016 election
Votes (%)Seats
Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union
Lietuvos valstiečių ir žaliųjų sąjunga
LVŽS Ramūnas Karbauskis Technocracy
Agrarianism
Green conservatism
Centre to centre-right 22.45%
54 / 141
Homeland Union
Tėvynės sąjunga – Lietuvos krikščionys demokratai
TS–LKD Gabrielius Landsbergis Conservatism
Christian democracy
Liberal conservatism
Centre-right 22.63%
31 / 141
Social Democratic Party of Lithuania
Lietuvos socialdemokratų partija
LSDP Gintautas Paluckas Social democracy
Democratic socialism
Pro-Europeanism
Centre-left to left-wing 15.04%
17 / 141
Liberal Movement
Lietuvos Respublikos Liberalų sąjūdis
LRLS Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen Classical liberalism
Conservative liberalism
Liberalism
Centre-right 9.45%
14 / 141
Freedom and Justice
Laisvė ir teisingumas
LT Remigijus Žemaitaitis Conservative liberalism
Pro-Europeanism
Centre-right 7.78%
8 / 141
Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance
Lietuvos lenkų rinkimų akcija – Krikščioniškų šeimų sąjunga
Akcja Wyborcza Polaków na Litwie – Związek Chrześcijańskich Rodzin
LLRA–KŠS Valdemar Tomaševski Polish minority interests
Christian democracy
Conservatism
Centre-right 5.72%
8 / 141
Labour Party
Darbo Partija
DP Viktor Uspaskich Social liberalism
Populism
Centre to centre-left 4.88%
2 / 141
Centre PartyNationalists
Centro partija – Tautininkai
CP-T Naglis Puteikis Agrarianism
Euroscepticism
Centre 6.88%
1 / 141
Lithuanian nationalism
National conservatism
Right-wing
Lithuanian Green Party
Lietuvos Žaliųjų Partija
LŽP Remigijus Lapinskas Green liberalism
Pro-Europeanism
Centre 2.03%
0 / 141
Lithuanian People's Party
Lietuvos liaudies partija
LLP Vaidotas Prunskus Russophilia
Left-wing nationalism
Hard Euroscepticism
Left-wing 1.05%
0 / 141
The Way of Courage
Drąsos Kelias
DK Jonas Varkala Populism
Anti-corruption
0.29%
0 / 141
Union of Intergenerational Solidarity – Cohesion for Lithuania
Kartų Solidarumo Sąjunga – Santalka Lietuvai
KSSL Arvydas Juozaitis Pensioners' interests
Single-issue politics
Nationalism
Did not run
Lithuania – For Everyone
Lietuva – visų
LV Tomas Pačėsas Interests of the Lithuanian diaspora Did not run
Social Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania
Lietuvos socialdemokratų darbo partija
LSDDP Gediminas Kirkilas Social democracy
Pro-Europeanism
Nordic model
Centre-left Did not exist
Split from LSDP
Freedom Party
Laisvės Partija
LP Aušrinė Armonaitė Liberalism
Social liberalism
Progressivism
Centre Did not exist
Split from Liberal Movement
Christian Union
Krikščionių sąjunga
KS Rimantas Dagys Christian democracy
Christian social policy
Social conservatism
Right-wing Did not exist
Split from Homeland Union
National Alliance
Nacionalinis Susivienijimas
NS Vytautas Radžvilas Lithuanian nationalism
Conservatism
Right-wing to far-right Did not exist

Politicians not standing

Opinion polls

Graphical summary

Graph of opinion polls conducted

Party vote

The following are opinion polls conducted for the legislative elections, measuring estimated percentage of the vote. Highlighted parties successfully pass the electoral threshold to win national list seats.

Polling Firm/LinkLast date
of polling
TS-LKD LVŽS LSDP LSDDP LT LRLS LLRA LCP DP Laisves
Baltijos tyrimai 17–27 September 202017.72313.93.17.995.738.83.3
Spinter tyrimai 16–26 September 202019.819.211.434.99.14.839.86.1
Vilmorus 4–12 September 202020.82111.84.25.37.73.52.611.73.5
Spinter tyrimai 26 August – 4 September 202021.719.412.63.74.55.94.53.38.66.8
Baltijos tyrimai 22 August – 4 September 202018.819.618.22.77.48.24411.44
Norstat 29 July – 31 August 202032.715.4133.63.46.11.51.57.65.9
Baltijos tyrimai 16–30 July 202019.122.513.92.98.284.72.810.94
Spinter tyrimai 16–26 July 202022.822.113.9-5.48.84.73.47.55.7
Vilmorus 10–18 July 202025.325.810.44.65.46.93.22.39.12.3
Spinter tyrimai 18–26 June 202025.219.813.5-4.97.75.7-86.1
Baltijos tyrimai 15–25 June 202018.222.5172.97.88.86.61.98.43.7
Polling Firm/LinkLast date
of polling
TS-LKD LVŽS LSDP LSDDP TT LRLS LLRA LCP DP Laisves
Vilmorus 5–13 June 202024.923.315.93.75.47.53.83.08.03.5
OMB Snapshots 1–9 June 202022.417.412.34.73.211.31.212.29
Spinter tyrimai 20–29 April 202026.419.313.73.27.58.55.92.76.44.3
Spinter tyrimai 17–30 March 202030.115.112.23.63.67.35.16.56.5
Vilmorus 5–13 March 202029.021.114.14.26.45.92.32.58.73.7
Baltijos tyrimai 13–26 February 202024.21515.53.16.611.552.59.14
Spinter tyrimai 18–25 February 202027.314.712.34.34.910.16.22.97.54
Vilmorus 7–13 February 202029.319.216.03.89.45.12.61.89.71.9
Spinter tyrimai 20–28 January 202026.614.411.32.95.59.16.13.69.85.7
Vilmorus 10–18 January 202026.918.414.53.975.22.74.59.82.1
Baltijos tyrimai 10–21 December 201923.79.817.43.17.87.464.412.73.2
Vilmorus 29 November – 7 December 201924.717.413.43.57.96.523.612.12.7
Spinter tyrimai 19–29 November 201932.912.913.82.55.311.35.64.612.45.8
Baltijos tyrimai 14–27 November 201925.21218.93.44.95.65.6313.23.2
Vilmorus 8–16 November 201926.717.6133.877.83.34.412.8
Baltijos tyrimai 15–29 October 201924.410.919.62.54.86.97.2414.12.8
Spinter tyrimai 17–28 October 201925.914.79.93.37.294.64.17.95
Vilmorus 4–13 October 201924.617.510.75.27.57.22.84.28.53.4
Baltijos tyrimai 21 September – 5 October 201926.216.417.32.28.35.653.48.53.4
Spinter tyrimai 18–27 September 201926.720.312.52.75.47.24.13.16.94.5
Vilmorus 6–14 September 20192222.312.84.86.74.83.23.611.12.7
Baltijos tyrimai 26 August – 3 September 201919.418.6181.78.17.45.14.410.63.4
Baltijos tyrimai 15–29 July 201920.217.518.52.6106.853.98.23.4
Spinter tyrimai 17–26 July 201926.216.513.62.877.24.637.64.3
Vilmorus 5–13 July 201925.720.211.74.39.44.33.91.913.44.6
Spinter tyrimai 18–27 June 201926.818.213.92.96.56.14.62.96.94.6
Baltijos tyrimai 14–28 June 201922.32018.81.48.67.953.27.6
Vilmorus 7–15 June 201926.323.212.53.49.14.44.72.110.53.4
Baltijos tyrimai 27 May – 9 June 201922.420.117.74.86.75.75.838.4
2019 European Parliament election 26 May 201919.7412.5615.882.362.736.595.138.99
Spinter tyrimai 20–29 April 201927.923.711.36.88.76.32.77.6
Baltijos tyrimai 12–26 April 201922.523.112.53.95.156.86.4
Vilmorus 4–13 April 20193123.510.84.18.94.14.63.88.6
Baltijos tyrimai 25 March – 10 April 201923.924.715.555.24.74.33.98.6
Spinter tyrimai 18–28 March 201925.421.413.67.185.447
Vilmorus 24 March 201924.728.112.96.27.34.73.53.28
Vilmorus 7–15 March 201928.732.8157.28.45.443.79.3
2019 municipal election3 March 201916.0511.1613.241.662.945.95.21.255.09
Spinter tyrimai 18–28 February 201927.722.59.75.75.25.92.67.3
Baltijos tyrimai 15–26 February 201923.721.411.43.69.85.74.25.510.5
Vilmorus 8–17 February 20193127.383.675.73.43.97.8
Baltijos tyrimai 23 January – 3 February 201923.921.712.63.611.96.22.94.78.1
Vilmorus 26 January 201925.427.310.44.59.24.93.84.99
Spinter tyrimai 15–26 January 201926.422.410.93.18.24.46.53.16.9
Vilmorus 11–20 January 201924.626.510.14.38.94.73.74.78.7
Vilmorus 1–9 December 201828.623.38.93.710.34.33.94.310.7
Baltijos tyrimai 6 December 201827.520.712.55.69.944.15.68.3
Spinter tyrimai 19–30 November 201826.921.911.33.610.94.36.74.86
Baltijos tyrimai 9–26 November 201827.420.612.55.59.93.945.58.2
Vilmorus 9–18 November 201826.922.28.54.210.76.14.15.910.7
Spinter tyrimai 16–30 October 201825.220.28.24.68.24.55.74.36.1
Baltijos tyrimai 10–26 October 201823.51812.76.7117.35.45.57.5
Vilmorus, Baltijos tyrimai polling average, October 2018 24 October 201826.219.311.95.312.65.74.74.37.6
Vilmorus 5–14 October 201827.22111.54.913.344.947.7
Baltijos tyrimai 24 September – 7 October 201825.117.512.15.511.77.34.34.57.5
Spinter tyrimai 19–26 September 201825.524.37.15.87.15.95.93.96.2
Vilmorus 7–16 September 201824.524.912.27.510.65.710.7
Spinter tyrimai 24–31 August 201823.621.886.2115.25.16.26.7
Baltijos tyrimai 21–31 August 201822.120.211.94.89.77.94.276.4
Baltijos tyrimai 16–31 July 201819.217.910.35.212.87.85.26.79.2
Vilmorus 5–17 July 201826.7248.15.610.83.54.66.49.7
Baltijos tyrimai 30 June – 3 July 201819.217.910.35.212.87.85.26.79.2
Spinter tyrimai 19–27 June 201822.520.310.25.910.865.23.88.8
Vilmorus 8–17 June 201825.322.787.39.433.24.910.2
Baltijos tyrimai 28 May – 5 June 201823.419.78.85.811.15.74.65.69.8
Spinter tyrimai 22–29 May 201824.722.57.56.810.35.45.44.36.8
Vilmorus 4–12 May 201823.620.97.49.2115.546.310.3
Baltijos tyrimai 24 April – 4 May 201824.822.79.56.68.984.64.56.2
Spinter tyrimai 17–26 April 20182421.17.26.410.79.76.24.32.3
Vilmorus 6–15 April 201827.918.87.77.911.47.44.26.34.6
Baltijos tyrimai 28 March – 8 April 201824.221.213.6910.64.566
Spinter tyrimai 21–29 March 201818.616.96.53.77.55.843.3
Vilmorus 2–10 March 201825.124.21513.47.63.75.52.8
Baltijos tyrimai 21 February – 4 March 20182417.317.310.610.65.35.35.3
Spinter tyrimai 19–27 February 20182421.311.310.674.16.5
Vilmorus 9–18 February 20182721.712.211.28.55.44.16.9
Baltijos tyrimai 18–30 January 201824.416.318.59.29.45.366.7
Vilmorus 12–21 January 201829.422.913.713.86.63.83.14.4
Spinter tyrimai 11–19 December 201726.42113.110.66.95.67.32.8
Vilmorus 1–10 December 201727.722.713.79.56.85.26.94.2
Baltijos tyrimai 20 November – 4 December 201727.619.716.88.97.23.67.64.6
RAIT 10–27 November 2017191610456
Spinter tyrimai 16–24 November 201727.426.110.78.37.16.64.42.8
Vilmorus 10–19 November 201726.520.813.59.66.86.575.3
Baltijos tyrimai 25 October – 8 November 201725.92416.27.86.87.83.92.6
RAIT 14–29 October 2017181511464
Spinter tyrimai 16–28 October 201726.823.910.16.77.877.52.8
Vilmorus 5–16 October 201724.720.616.610.36.86.95.14.3
Baltijos tyrimai 25 September – 8 October 201723.420.316.310.411.25.34.44.9
Spinter tyrimai 19–28 September 201723.923.312.86.986.95.42.8
RAIT 15–26 September 20171617119
Vilmorus 8–17 September 201724.923.815.97.97.24.25.85.4
Baltijos tyrimai 29 August – 9 September 201720.219.315.110.413.86.35.26.3
Spinter tyrimai 21–28 August 201722.62215.66.99.45.54.12.7
RAIT 10–24 August 2017181811492
Baltijos tyrimai 3–17 August 201719.421.716.28.410.87.85.45.8
RAIT 15–27 July 20171716124744
Spinter tyrimai 17–23 July 201722.122.61579.35.35.32.6
Vilmorus 30 June – 9 July 201723.722.7178.28.66.15.62.9
RAIT 9 June – 2 July 201723.828.313.44.413.42.95.94.4
Spinter tyrimai 19–26 June 201720.923.817.18106.34.42.1
Baltijos tyrimai 13–26 June 201718.820.218.810.110.18.64.35.7
Vilmorus 2–10 June 201726.226.618.16.68.44.56.13.2
Baltijos tyrimai 25 May – 6 June 201716.321.321.811.99.28.24.24.7
Spinter tyrimai 19–25 May 201719.428.117.16.69.66.64.42.5
RAIT 13–18 May 201720.830.511.18.311.12.74.12.7
Vilmorus 5–13 May 201723.128.715.56.57.74.45.72.7
Baltijos tyrimai 26 April – 7 May 201720.32918.86.99.75.72.94.6
Spinter tyrimai 19–26 April 20172230.116.95.18.34.34.50.7
RAIT 8–25 April 201718.634.613.3410.62.64
Vilmorus 1–9 April 201722.233.216.85.68.82.94.72.8
Spinter tyrimai 16–23 March 201717.334.611.15.110.85.62
RAIT 10–26 March 201714.437.6134.3132.82.8
Vilmorus 8–12 March 201722.235.512.748.34.94.73.7
Spinter tyrimai 17–24 February 201719.332.711.54.69.65.82.7
Vilmorus 10–15 February 201719.137.315.24.36.84.35.2
RAIT 9–26 February 201722.546.714.54.811.23.24.8
Spinter tyrimai 17–25 January 201718.73714.24.18.55.52.7
RAIT January 201713.426.510.236.12
Vilmorus 12–22 January 201716.639.815.83.583.53.2
Baltijos tyrimai 12–22 December 201615.444.712.85.26.25.23.85.1
Spinter tyrimai 12–20 December 201616.742.712.35.97.952.5
Vilmorus 2–10 December 20161745.511.26.2
Baltijos tyrimai 24 November – 4 December 201615.346.712.84.594.12.72.7
Spinter tyrimai 18–25 November 201616.436.114712.45.23.62.1
2016 Elections 22.6322.4515.045.559.455.726.324.88

The following are seat projections for the election:

SourceDate TS-LKD LVŽS LSDP LSDDP LT LRLS LLRA LCP DP Laisves LŽP Independents
Result 202011–25 October 2020503213311330101114
Europe Elects 24 October 2020423817211030101116
Result 20169–23 October 2016315417-814812-14

Results

Distribution of seats in the Seimas as of 26 October 2020.svg
PartyProportionalConstituency (first round)Constituency (second round)Total
seats
+/–
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Homeland Union 292,12425.7723268,91924.161356,59940.172650+19
Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union 204,79118.0716169,37015.220209,71823.621632−22
Labour Party 110,7739.77988,4087.9408,0770.91110+8
Social Democratic Party of Lithuania 108,6499.588130,85111.76075,5618.51513−4
Freedom Party 107,0939.45872,0466.47072,2888.14311New
Liberal Movement 79,7557.046103,2389.28060,8416.85713−1
Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania 56,3864.97053,0074.76214,8371.6713−5
Social Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania 37,1973.28051,9234.67026,1992.9533New
Centre Party – Nationalists 26,7692.36020,4681.8405,4050.6100−1
National Alliance 25,0982.21014,9381.3400New
Freedom and Justice 23,3552.06028,6412.5709,6311.0811New
Lithuanian Green Party 19,3031.70035,2053.1606,6480.75110
The Way of Courage 13,3371.1802,5730.23000
Lithuania – For Everyone 11,3521.0007,9170.7100New
Christian Union 8,8250.78017,4331.5700New
Union of Intergenerational Solidarity – Cohesion for Lithuania5,8080.5102,7530.2500New
Lithuanian People's Party 2,9460.2601,0870.10000
Lithuanian List 1,0430.0900–1
Independents43,0833.87041,9384.72440
Total1,133,561100.00701,112,903100.003887,742100.00681410
Valid votes1,133,56196.471,112,90394.74887,74296.03
Invalid/blank votes41,4653.5361,8225.2636,6673.97
Total votes1,175,026100.001,174,725100.00924,409100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,457,72247.812,457,72247.802,355,72639.24
Source: VRK

Preference votes

Alongside votes for a party, voters were able to cast a preferential votes for a candidate on the party list.

PartyPos.CandidateVotes
Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats 1 Ingrida Šimonytė 155,814
Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats 2 Gabrielius Landsbergis 94,890
Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union 1 Saulius Skvernelis 80,344
Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union 2 Ramūnas Karbauskis 66,484
Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats 4 Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė 62,990
Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats 7 Agnė Bilotaitė 59,792
Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union 3 Aurelijus Veryga 56,032
Freedom Party 1 Aušrinė Armonaitė 54,098
Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats 3 Laurynas Kasčiūnas 46,403
Social Democratic Party of Lithuania 1 Gintautas Paluckas 38,350

Analysis

The Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats once again received a plurality of votes, similar to the prior elections, and achieved much more success in constituency seats, which made up most of its net gain of 19 seats. Overall Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats received its largest share of votes and seats since 1996. All parties involved in the pre-election coalition, including the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, Social Democratic Labour Party, and Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance, lost seats compared to what they held prior, with the Farmers and Greens losing over 40% of their prior seats.

The Electoral Action of Poles also failed to make the 5% threshold for national list seats for the first time since 2008 (although the party's support was declining ever since 2014 European Parliament election). [12] The Social Democratic Party lost a further four seats, achieving its worst seat result since 1992, and its worst vote result since 1996, while the new Freedom Party saw success, obtaining 11 seats less than two years after its split from the Liberal Movement. The Labour Party saw a rebound at the national level from its disappointing performance in 2016, gaining 8 seats overall and obtaining nearly 10% of the popular vote. Freedom and Justice, which was formed by a merger of Order and Justice (which received 8 seats in the 2016 elections) and the Lithuanian Freedom Union (Liberals), received one constituency seat.

Overall, the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Liberal Movement and the Freedom Party got most support from the cities. For example, both in Vilnius and Kaunas these three parties combined won 52 per cent and 50 per cent of votes respectively. [12]

Turnout was roughly 47% in the first round, and 39% in the second round.

In one of the single-member constituencies (51st Utena) a second round produced an equal number of recorded votes for two candidates: Edmundas Pupinis of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, and Gintautas Paluckas of the Social Democratic Party. After a recount, Pupinis was declared the winner with 7,076 votes (Paluckas received 7,071 votes). [13] Despite this, the Social Democratic Party disputed the constituency result as the chairman of the 51st Utena single-member constituency electoral commission turned out to be a staff member of candidate Pupinis. After a recount by the Central Electoral Commission, Pupinis was again declared the winner with 7,078 votes (in this case Gintautas Paluckas received 7,072 votes). [14]

Aftermath

As no party or electoral coalition won a majority of seats (71), a coalition had to be formed. On 15 October, four days after the first round, the leaders of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Liberal Movement, and the Freedom Party published a joint declaration, which stated that all three parties nominate Ingrida Šimonytė as their joint candidate to be Prime Minister of Lithuania. [15]

On 4 November, a second nationwide lockdown and quarantine began. Unlike during the rest of the year, the official numbers of cases and deaths rose exponentially in November and December (see COVID-19 effects).

On 9 November, a formal coalition agreement between the three aforementioned parties was announced. [16] On 13 November, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen of the Liberal Movement was elected as Speaker of the Seimas. On 24 November, Ingrida Šimonytė was appointed as Prime Minister of Lithuania.

Notes

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