Mindaugas Sinkevičius was nominated for the post of prime minister by Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on Thursday, who tasked him with forming a new government amid a coalition reshuffle.
Parliament must approve the nomination of Sinkevičius, who leads the Social Democrats. The vote is set for June 30. He can then select his cabinet, which would be subject to a further parliamentary vote.
Nausėda and Sinkevičius met on Wednesday evening for talks during which they agreed on the new government's key priorities, the president said. "Defence and security must remain this government's top priority," said Nausėda.
Lithuania borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Russian ally Belarus. Like other Baltic states, Lithuania views the war, launched by Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, as a direct national security threat.
Social Democrats change head of government and coalition partner
Sinkevicius will replace his party colleague Inga Ruginienė and plans to present his cabinet next week. The shuffle comes after the Social Democrats decided to replace a coalition partner and terminated their cooperation with the populist party Dawn of the Nemunas earlier this month.
They have brought the Democratic Union for Lithuania, previously in opposition, into the government. Together with two other partners, the new coalition holds 75 of the 141 parliamentary seats.
Sinkevičius served briefly as Economy Minister from 2016 to 2017 and has otherwise been involved in local government in Jonava and the surrounding area.
In 2024, he was convicted of embezzling municipal funds and temporarily lost his mayoral post, but was acquitted of all charges by the Supreme Court in a final judgement in March 2025.
