Paluckas Cabinet

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Paluckas Cabinet
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19th Cabinet of Lithuania
Gintautas Paluckas by Augustas Didzgalvis (cropped)(correct angle version).jpg
Date formed12 December 2024
People and organisations
Head of state Gitanas Nausėda
Head of government Gintautas Paluckas (20242025)
Rimantas Šadžius (acting)
No. of ministers14
Member parties   Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP)
   Dawn of Nemunas (PPNA)
   Union of Democrats "For Lithuania" (DSVL)
Status in legislature Majority coalition government (20242025)
Caretaker government (2025present)
Opposition parties   Homeland Union (TS–LKD)
   Liberal Movement (LS)
   Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS)
   Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (LLRA-KŠS)
   National Alliance (NS)
   Freedom and Justice (PLT)
History
Election 2024
Legislature term Fourteenth Seimas
Predecessor Šimonytė Cabinet
Successor Ruginienė Cabinet

Paluckas Cabinet was the 19th cabinet of the national government of the Republic of Lithuania. It consisted of Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas as the Head of Government, and 14 government ministers from the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, Union of Democrats "For Lithuania", and Dawn of Nemunas.

Contents

The cabinet was formed 12 December 2024, lasting until August 2025 when the cabinet's resignation was accepted on 4 August after Paluckas resigned due to financial scandals on 31 July 2025. [1] All members of the cabinet (except Paluckas) continued to serve in a caretaker capacity under acting Prime Minister Rimantas Šadžius, previously Finance Minister, following the cabinet's dissolution. [1]

History

On the night of 14 October, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė and Saulius Skvernelis, the leaders of the LSDP and the DSVL respectively, agreed to cooperate in the second round and to form a coalition government afterwards. [2] LVŽS joined the agreement on 15 October. [3] On 30 October, Blinkevičiūtė confirmed that she will not be prime minister and will continue to work as a member of the European Parliament, citing her age and health. Gintautas Paluckas became the party's candidate for Prime Minister. [4]

On 7 November, the LSDP invited the DSVL and Dawn of Nemunas to form a ruling coalition, which would encompass 86 of the 141 seats in the Seimas. [5] On 21 November, Paluckas was nominated as the Prime Minister by the Seimas, with 88 votes in favor. [6]

In July 2025, the public scrutiny and protests over Paluckas' questionable business deals and links were mounting. [7] By the end of the month, President Gitanas Nausėda pressured Paluckas to consider his options, while the Speaker of the Seimas Saulius Skvernelis threatened to pull out of the coalition government if Paluckas will not resign. [8] [9]

Paluckas resigned on 31 July 2025. [1] The resignation of the rest of the cabinet was officially accepted 4 August 2025 but members of the cabinet (except Paluckas) continued to serve in a caretaker capacity with Finance Minister Rimantas Šadžius acting as PM in a caretaker capacity. [1]

Paluckas' resignation was the first resignation of Prime Minister of Lithuania since Algirdas Brazauskas in 2006. Also, it was the first time when cabinet had not served full parliamentary term since Kirkilas Cabinet.

Cabinet

The cabinet's minister list was sworn-in on 12 December 2024 by the President of Lithuania. [10] [11] [12]

PositionNamePartyOffice
Start dateEnd date
Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas LSDP 12 December 202431 July 2025
Rimantas Šadžius (acting) LSDP 4 August 2025TBA
Minister of Agriculture Ignas Hofmanas Independent
(endorsed by PPNA)
12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Culture Šarūnas Birutis LSDP 12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Economy and Innovation Lukas Savickas DSVL 12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Education, Science and Sports Raminta Popovienė LSDP 12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Energy Žygimantas Vaičiūnas DSVL 12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Environment Povilas Poderskis Independent
(endorsed by PPNA)
12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Finance Rimantas Šadžius LSDP 12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys Independent
(endorsed by President Gitanas Nausėda and LSDP)
12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Health Marija Jakubauskienė Independent
(endorsed by LSDP)
12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Interior Vladislav Kondratovič LSDP 12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Justice Rimantas Mockus Independent
(endorsed by PPNA)
12 December 2024TBA
Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė LSDP 12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Social Security and Labour Inga Ruginienė LSDP 12 December 2024TBA
Minister of Transport and Communications Eugenijus Sabutis LSDP 12 December 2024TBA

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Prezidentas priėmė Vyriausybės atsistatydinimą, laikinajam kabinetui vadovaus Rimantas Šadžius (papildytas) | Naujiena | BNS.lt". bns.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2025-08-05.
  2. "Socialdemokratai ir S.Skvernelis telkiasi į koaliciją, bet dėl trečiojo brolio lieka intriga". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 14 October 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
  3. Platūkytė, Domantė (15 October 2024). "Karbauskis Blinkevičiūtę jau vadina būsima premjere, abu sako – sukirsta rankomis". LRT (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  4. "Dramos atomazga: Blinkevičiūtė premjere nebus, socdemai teikia Palucką". LRT (in Lithuanian). 30 October 2024.
  5. "Social Democrats invite two parties to form Lithuania's ruling coalition". lrt.lt. 7 November 2024.
  6. Platukytė, Domanta; Narkūnas, Vilius (21 November 2024). "Oficialu: Paluckas tapo naujuoju Lietuvos premjeru" (in Lithuanian).
  7. "Lithuanian PM Gintautas Paluckas quits amid corruption probe". Deutsche Welle. 31 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  8. Platūkytė, Domantė (2025-07-24). "Prezidentas Paluckui davė dvi savaites atsakyti į klausimus ar apsvarstyti tolesnį darbą". lrt.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2025-07-31.
  9. "Iš Skvernelio – griežtas ultimatumas dėl Palucko". Delfi (in Lithuanian). 30 July 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  10. Platūkytė, Domantė (21 November 2024). "Aiškėja ministrų pavardės – Paluckas įvardijo Šakalienę ir Budrį, į VRM kviečia Cesiulį". LRT (in Lithuanian).
  11. Samoškaitė, Eglė (21 November 2024). "Aiškėja, ką Paluckas norėtų matyti sveikatos apsaugos ministre: kandidatė – su ryškiu CV". LRT (in Lithuanian).
  12. Jakučionis, Saulius (22 November 2024). "Advokatas Bartkus susitiks su Palucku aptarti galimo darbo teisingumo ministru". LRT (in Lithuanian).