Lithuania: Homeland Union branches nominate candidates for president

Regional branches of Lithuania’s ruling Homeland Union (TS-LKD) have proposed their preferred candidates for president in the upcoming elections in May 2024, BNS reports. Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte was the favourite with 66 nominations, followed by Foreign Minister and TS-LKD chairman Gabrielius Landsbergis with 64 and Labour and Social Security Minister Monika Navickiene with 62. MP Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary national security and defence committee, received 54 nominations, followed by Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas with 42 and Paulius Saudargas, deputy speaker of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas, with 41. The 70 party branches could propose multiple candidates. TS-LKD’s presidium will decide on the final list of candidates. The party will hold presidential primaries open to both members and supporters on 11-12 November 2023.