Lithuania's center-left opposition parties emerged victorious in the final round of national elections, marking the end of the four-year rule of the center-right ruling coalition. The Social Democrats secured 52 seats in the 141-seat parliament, known as the Seimas, paving the way for talks on forming a majority cabinet with two smaller center-left parties, the Democratic Union and the Union of Peasants and Greens, which won 14 and 8 seats respectively. This coalition is expected to control at least 74 seats, signaling a significant shift in government leadership.
The outcome came as a surprise to the ruling conservatives, with the Homeland Union led by Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyte winning only 28 seats in the two-round election. The Social Democrats' victory was met with celebration in downtown Vilnius, where party leader Vilija Blinkeviciute expressed gratitude to the voters for their support and emphasized the desire for change in government.
