Matas Skamarakas of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP, S&D) was elected MP for the Raseinių-Kėdainių constituency in the Lithuanian parliament on Sunday.
With 56.6% of the votes in his favour, Skamarakas beat centre-right candidate Andrius Bautronis of the Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats (EPP), who received 43.4%.
The vote was a run-off to which both candidates had advanced after coming first and second in the first round of voting two weeks ago. The seat was previously held by the centrist-agrarian Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, which sits with the Greens/EFA in the EU Parliament.
Due to a legal restriction on by-elections in the twelve months before the national parliament election, which is set to be held on 6 October 2024, it was very likely the final by-election test for the incumbent national government.
Lithuanians will not just elect a new parliament next year but also a new president and European Parliament members, albeit on different dates.
(Tobias Gerhard Schminke | EuropeElects)
Read more with EURACTIV
Slovakian election candidates step down following poor behaviour
Source: euractiv.com
