Lithuania's conservative party wins election, seeking coalition
27/10/2008 16:29
Lithuania's conservative party Homeland Union-Christian Democrats claimed
victory in the country's general election last night, marking the return of a
center-right government, according to news reports from Lithuanian capital
Vilnius.
The Baltic country's election commission said the party, led by
former prime minister Andrius Kubilius, won 44 seats in total, giving it a clear
lead over the Social Democrats of current Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas,
which got 26 seats in the 141-member parliament.
A new government could be in
place by the end of November.
Kubilius said after the elections that
Lithuanians are choosing change -- which will be implemented by a center-right
coalition.
The Homeland Union has suggested forming a center-right coalition
with two junior liberal parties and a political upstart, the National Revival
Party, which came in third with 16 seats in the election. Together the four
parties won 79 seats, enough for a majority in the legislature, according to the
commission's vote count.
"We see a possibility to work together," said
Kubilius, "We will take the responsibility to form a coalition.
Kubilius, a
strong critic of Russia, has been stuck in opposition since leading a
short-lived government between 1999 and 2000.
The Rising Nation party, which
came second in the first round of voting, looks certain to join the Homeland
Union in government with around 16 seats.
Kubilius said he would insist on
the Homeland Union gaining control of the ministries of economy, defence,
finance and foreign affairs.
"We have a plan and in this situation. It will
be called something like a crisis prevention plan given our economic and
financial situation where we see quite a lot of problems with this year's and
next year's budget. That will be the main priority."
"We have a situation
which is really challenging. But challenges can mean more interesting times for
government than a calm period, " Kubilius said.
He has said he would allow a
budget deficit of about 1 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), below the
limit set by the European Union of 3 percent of the GDP.
Lithuanian voters
have been exasperated with scandals surrounding the governing Social Democratic
Party. They also fear becoming more dependent on Russia for energy, as their
country of 3.4 million people will close a Soviet-era nuclear plant next year
under an agreement with the European Union.
Xinhua
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