Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has officially nominated Mindaugas Sinkevicius, chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP), for prime minister, BNS reports. The parliament, the Seimas, will vote on the nomination on 30 June 2026, after which Sinkevicius will have 15 days to present his new cabinet and government programme for parliamentary approval. Sinkevicius assured Nauseda that there would be no scandals that would force him to resign as happened with the previous LSDP leader, Gintautas Paluckas, BNS reported. Sinkevicius has served as mayor of Jonava district municipality, with some interruptions, since 2011, LRT reports. He was economy minister in 2016-2017. His father, former economy and transport minister Rimantas Sinkevicius, is an MP representing LSDP.
Sinkevicius said that he would present his ministerial candidates early next week, BNS reported. Earlier, outgoing Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene announced that she would return to head the Ministry of Social Security and Labour in the new government, BNS reported. Meanwhile, LSDP’s junior coalition partner, the Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL), presented its three ministerial candidates to Nauseda: Linas Kukuraitis for health minister, Kestutis Mazeika for agriculture minister, and Lukas Savickas for energy minister, LRT reported. The other two coalition parties, the Lithuanian Union of Farmers and Greens (LVZS) and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania (LLRA) are likely to retain their current two ministers: Economy Minister Edvinas Griksas of LVZS and Justice Minister Rita Tamasuniene of LLRA.
Speaking in parliament, Nauseda stated that the incoming government must maintain defence spending at a minimum of 5% of GDP, continue support for Ukraine, prepare for Lithuania’s upcoming presidency of the EU Council, address the country’s demographic decline, attract more investments to regions, and boost energy independence and economic growth. Sinkevicius pledged that his government would maintain fiscal discipline, while adding that the new coalition’s spending commitments would present a very difficult challenge, BNS reported. He acknowledged that there was no comprehensive budget plan ready. He assured that the new government would act responsibly on defence spending, while noting that maintaining defence spending at 5% of GDP would be demanding as the GDP was growing.