LITHUANIA’S centre-left opposition parties celebrated victory on Sunday after beating the right-wing ruling coalition in the final round of national elections.
The Social Democrats won 52 seats in the 141-seat parliament known as the Seimas, ending the four-year rule of the Homeland Union government led by right-wing Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte.
The Social Democrats will start talks on forming a majority cabinet with two smaller centre-left parties, the Democratic Union and the Union of Peasants & Greens, which won 14 and eight seats respectively. The coalition is expected to control at least 74 seats.
Ms Simonyte’s Homeland Union won only 28 seats in the two-round election.
Social Democrats leader Vilija Blinkeviciute told supporters in the capital Vilnius: “The results have shown that the people want change, a completely different government.”
Analysts say there will not be any significant change in Lithuania’s foreign policy. The European Union and Nato member is a staunch supporter of Ukraine.