Lithuanian opposition party wins 1st round of parliamentary elections

Vilnius, Oct 14 (IANS) Lithuanian Social Democratic Party won the first round of the parliamentary elections, securing 19.36 per cent of votes and 18 out of 70 seats, preliminary data from the Central Electoral Commission showed on Monday morning.The ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats won 17.96 per cent of the vote and 17 seats in the parliament, reports Xinhua news agency.

The Dawn of the Nemunas (Nemuno Ausra), a newly registered party of Remigijus Zemaitaitis, came in third with 14.99 per cent of the vote, securing 14 seats.The Democratic Union For Lithuania, also a first-time participant in parliamentary elections, received 9.24 per cent of the vote, which guaranteed them eight seats.

The Freedom Party, currently part of the ruling coalition, failed to clear the five per cent electoral threshold required to win seats in the parliament.

The final seat distribution will be determined in two weeks after most of the single-member constituencies will hold runoffs between two leading candidates on October 27.

The first round of Lithuania's parliamentary elections began on Sunday, with voters set to elect 141 members to the Seimas, the country's unicameral parliament, for a four-year term.Lithuania's parliamentary elections saw a voter turnout of 52.06 per cent, up from 47.80 per cent in 2020, according to preliminary data from the electoral commission on Sunday.