The Lithuanian government, led by Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, is set to formally decide on its resignation at a Cabinet meeting on Monday morning.

Paluckas has decided to step down amid growing scrutiny over his past. According to the Constitution, the resignation of the prime minister requires the entire Cabinet to step down as well.

Under the Law on the Government, the president must be notified of the Cabinet’s resignation on the same day it takes place.

President Gitanas Nausėda will then need to sign a decree accepting the resignation and instruct the government to continue in a caretaker capacity until a new Cabinet is appointed. He will also have to name an interim prime minister.

From that point, Nausėda will have up to 15 days to submit a candidate for prime minister to the Seimas.

The new prime minister will be nominated by the Social Democratic Party, which holds the largest number of seats in parliament. The party is expected to decide on its candidate during a presidium meeting on Wednesday.

Once parliament approves the nominee, the prime minister-designate will have 15 days to present a new Cabinet line-up, which must be approved by Nausėda along with the government program.

The new government will take office once its program is endorsed in a parliamentary vote.

The coalition agreement between the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), the Democrats “For Lithuania,” and Nemunas Dawn will also need to be amended, as it currently states that “the parties commit to supporting the coalition government led by Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and to acting in line with this agreement and the government program.”

The Democrats have not ruled out demanding changes to the coalition’s composition to exclude Nemunas Dawn.

Paluckas has also decided to step down as party leader.

Jonava Mayor Mindaugas Sinkevičius has temporarily assumed leadership of the party and is one of the candidates under consideration by the LSDP board for the post of prime minister.

The LSDP leadership is also considering three other potential candidates: Social Security and Labor Minister Inga Ruginienė, First Deputy Speaker of the Seimas Juozas Olekas, and Vilnius District Mayor Robert Duchnevič.

LSDP branches may submit additional nominations for the prime ministerial post until Tuesday.

Source: BNS

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