New direction for Lithuania
October 29, 2012With nearly all results in from Sunday's poll, the Social Democrats and their allies have confirmed their majority in parliament. This was expected after the initial round of voting two weeks ago.
The Social Democrats will likely join with the Labor Party and the Paksas Party to form a center-left coalition. The three parties won 79 of 141 seats in Lithuania's parliament.
Sunday's vote wasn't all bad for the defeated Homeland Union party, however. Their poll numbers improved in comparison to the first round of voting, and they won 32 seats in parliament.
"The results are not bad for us," said outgoing Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius. "We are among the leading parties in parliament."
Algirdas Butkevicius, leader of the Social Democrats, is seen as a possible candidate for the country's next prime minister.
Turnout for the election was at 35 percent, well below the 53 percent participation rate for the first round.
mz/lw (Reuters, AFP)