Key facts
- Mindaugas Sinkevicius has been approved as Lithuania's new prime minister.
- The new government pledged to maintain defense spending above 5% of GDP.
- Lithuania will continue to seek a U.S. troop presence.
- The government will continue to support Ukraine.
- Sinkevicius replaces Inga Ruginiene as prime minister.
Lithuania's parliament has voted in favor of a government manifesto presented by Social Democrat Mindaugas Sinkevicius, clearing the way for him to become prime minister. The Baltic nation, a member of NATO and the European Union, borders Russia and Belarus. Lithuania is already NATO's top defense spender as a share of its economy, dedicating an estimated 5.33% of its GDP to the military this year. Sinkevicius' government has pledged to maintain this spending above 5% of GDP and to continue seeking a U.S. troop presence as a deterrent against Russia, while also supporting Ukraine. Sinkevicius stated that it would be a mistake to believe the Russian military threat is subsiding despite significant losses in Ukraine. He replaces Inga Ruginiene, who is stepping aside amid recent turmoil in her coalition government. The new center-left coalition, comprising the Social Democrats, For Lithuania, and the Farmers and Green Union parties, holds a slim majority in parliament. The populist party Nemunas Dawn, whose leader faces charges related to incitement to hatred and Holocaust denial, is no longer part of the government. In the parliamentary vote, 72 out of 141 members supported the new government platform, with 29 voting against and four abstaining.