Monday, October 24, 2016

Lithuania’s agrarians pull off surprise election win

Lithuania’s center-right opposition Peasants and Greens party said it would begin negotiations to form a coalition government on Monday after it declared victory in the second round of the country’s general election on Sunday.
The Peasants and Greens won 54 seats in the 141-member parliament. The conservative Homeland Union came in second with 31 seats, the ruling Social Democratic party won 17 seats, AFP reported. Turnout was 38 percent.
“Our government will be transparent, responsible, professional and resolute,” said Saulius Skvernelis, the party’s candidate to be the next prime minister, according to Reuters.
The party had already emerged as the biggest in some constituencies in the first round of the vote, held on October 9.
If Skvernelis becomes prime minister, it will mean that for the first time in 15 years, the country’s leader will not be a member of the Social Democrats or the Homeland Union.
A new government is expected to take over from the current coalition of the Social Democrats, Labour and Order and Justice parties before the end of 2016.

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