Key facts
- Inga Ruginienė has been approved by the Lithuanian parliament as the country's new prime minister.
- Her appointment follows the resignation of former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas in July.
- The new government is formed by a coalition of the Social Democrats, Nemunas Dawn, and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union.
- The coalition controls 82 out of 141 seats in the Seimas.
- Ruginienė's first foreign visits will be to Warsaw and Kyiv.
Lithuania's parliament has approved Inga Ruginienė, a member of the ruling Social Democrats party, as the country's new prime minister. The vote followed the resignation of Gintautas Paluckas in July due to allegations concerning his past business activities and ethical breaches. Ruginienė, 44, who previously served as social security and labour minister, secured parliamentary approval with a vote of 78 in favour, 35 against, and 14 abstentions. Her appointment formalizes a new ruling coalition comprising the Social Democrats, the Nemunas Dawn party, and the Lithuanian Farmers, Green and Christian Families Union. This coalition will hold 82 of the 141 seats in the Seimas. During her address to lawmakers, Ruginienė emphasized the importance of compromise and cooperation. She pledged that her initial foreign visits would be to Warsaw and Kyiv, underscoring Lithuania's commitment to its allies and support for Ukraine's fight against Russian aggression. She also expressed an aim to normalize relations with China. The new government's agenda includes prioritizing national security, increasing defense funding, promoting domestic businesses, and improving family conditions. It also plans to raise excise duties on tobacco, alcohol, and electronic cigarettes, and implement measures to combat xenophobia. The coalition agreement explicitly states a commitment to supporting Ukraine's integration into the EU and NATO. However, the formation of the new government has not been without opposition. Several thousand people protested outside parliament on Tuesday, criticizing the inclusion of Nemunas Dawn and the Christian Families Alliance in the coalition. Ruginienė has up to 15 days to present her proposed cabinet to President Gitanas Nauseda for approval and to submit the government's program for a parliamentary vote. In a separate development, Lithuanian Social Democrat leader Mindaugas Sinkevicius announced his intention to seek the position of the country's next prime minister.