The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) emerged victorious in the Seimas parliamentary runoff election on October 27, securing 52 seats in the 141-member legislature. Two weeks earlier, in the first round, the Social Democrats had won 20 seats, reported VRK, the Central Election Commission.

Previously, the LSDP expressed intentions to establish a governing coalition with the Democratic Union For Lithuania and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LFGU), which holds nine seats.

LSDP leader Vilija Blinkeviciute called the election result a “historic victory”, according to a statement published on the party’s Facebook page. 

She commented that the result, "showed very clearly that people want changes in the ruling majority and in the government”.

“These elections have shown that the Social Democratic Party is not only a party of regions but also a party of big cities,” Blinkeviciute added. 

Late in the evening of October 27, Saulius Skvernelis, chairman of For Lithuania, arrived at the LSDP headquarters to meet privately with LSDP leader Vilija Blinkeviciute to discuss coalition possibilities, delfi.lt said.

The Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (Homeland Union-LCD), the current ruling party, will now go into opposition, occupying 29 seats in the parliament for the 2024-2028 term.

Homeland Union leader Gabrielius Landsbergis offered his congratulations, stating, "I think it would be fair to congratulate the Social Democrats. It was a strong performance, and I wish them a responsible government," as reported by Delfi.lt.

The radical right-wing party The Dawn of the River Neman won 20 seats, with its leader, Remigijus Zemaitaitis, urging the LSDP and the Democratic Union For Lithuania (which holds 14 seats) to form a constitutional majority of 82 seats.

One of the election's biggest surprises was the conservative Education Minister Radvile Morkunaite-Mikuleniene conceding defeat to Vytautas Sinica of the far-right National Rally. Sinica will represent the National Rally as its sole member, advocating an anti-immigration platform.

In addition, two of the Freedom Party's three candidates lost in the runoff, and the outcome for its leader, Austine Armonaite, remains uncertain.

The voter turnout for the second round was 41.3%, down from the first round’s 52%, according to the VRK. Over 2mn people were on the electoral rolls, with 30.52% voting on polling day and an additional 10.8% casting advance ballots.