Lithuania’s main opposition party, the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP), scored an expected win in the first round of elections to the country’s parliament, the Seimas, LRT reported. LSDP won 19.36% of votes, which was slightly higher than predicted in polls. The ruling conservative Homeland Union and the new far-right opposition party, Dawn of Nemunas, both scored much higher than projected: Homeland Union came second with 17.96%, while the Dawn of Nemunas got 14.99% of votes. Former prime minister Saulius Skvernelis’s party, the Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL), won 9.24% of votes, followed by the Lithuanian Liberal Movement (LLS) with 7.70% and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVZS) with 7.02%. None of the other parties and party coalitions managed to surpass the 5% electoral threshold. Voter turnout was 52%, according to the Central Electoral Commission (VRK).
After the first-round win, LSDP leader, MEP Vilija Blinkeviciute, announced that LSDP and DSVL would cooperate in the second round of voting on 27 October 2024, LRT reported. Blinkeviciute said that LSDP would seek to form a new coalition government together with DSVL and LVZS, and she invited LLS to join as well. Earlier, LSDP rejected working together with the Dawn of Nemunas, and both LSDP and DSVL have refused a coalition with the Homeland Union. Meanwhile, LLS has rejected cooperation with LVZS due to major differences in “geopolitical vision.” Homeland Union still hopes to be part of the next coalition and has urged the other parties to exclude the Dawn of Nemunas from government. LSDP, DSVL, LVZS, and the Dawn of Nemunas receive most support in the regions, whereas the current coalition partners, Homeland Union, LLS, and the Freedom Party, are dominant especially in the capital, Vilnius.