Lithuania’s New Prime Minister Vows to Restore Stability
In a decisive move, Lithuania’s parliament has elected a former labour union leader, Inga Ruginienė, as the country’s new prime minister. This decision comes in the wake of her predecessor’s resignation due to investigations into his business dealings.
Ruginienė, a relative political newcomer who joined the centre-left Social Democratic Party just before last year’s general election, secured 78 votes to 35 in her favor.
Having previously served as the head of Lithuania’s labour union confederation and as the minister for social affairs and labour under former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, Ruginienė is now set to take the reins of the government.
Paluckas stepped down in July amidst media scrutiny over his business and financial affairs, prompting anti-corruption and law enforcement agencies to launch their own investigations.
President Gitanas Nausėda, who nominated Ruginienė, praised her as “a constructive negotiator who seeks compromise” during the parliamentary vote.
Ruginienė, in turn, pledged to focus on “restoring stability” and ensuring that the government fulfills its obligations to the voters.
With the Social Democrats forming a new centre-left coalition with two junior partners, Ruginienė’s government has a solid majority in the parliament.
Despite the change in leadership, Lithuania’s foreign policy is expected to remain steadfast, particularly in its support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.
As a key member of the European Union and NATO, Lithuania plays a crucial role on the Western alliance’s eastern flank, with borders touching Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus.
With formalities like the president’s appointment and swearing-in ceremony pending, Ruginienė is poised to lead the government for the remainder of the current four-year term.
Overall, the Baltic nation of about 2.8 million people looks to Ruginienė to bring stability and integrity to the helm of government.
