### Lithuania's Center-Left Opposition Triumphs in National Elections, Ending Conservative Rule

In a significant political shift, Lithuania's center-left opposition has secured victory over the ruling center-right coalition in the recent national elections. With all votes counted from Sunday's polls, the Social Democrats clinched 52 seats in the 141-seat parliament, effectively ending the four-year tenure of the Homeland Union government led by conservative Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.

Now poised to form a majority government, the Social Democrats are expected to collaborate with two smaller center-left parties—the Democratic Union and the Union of Peasants and Greens—which have secured 14 and 8 seats respectively. This coalition is anticipated to control at least 74 seats in the Seimas.

The Homeland Union garnered only 28 seats in the two-round election. As the results were confirmed, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, leader of the Social Democrats, expressed gratitude to the supporters, proclaiming the people's desire for change. The festive atmosphere in downtown Vilnius marked the party's victory celebration.

The ruling conservatives were taken aback by the outcome, having trailed only by two seats behind the Social Democrats in the first round. This result continues Lithuania's historical trend of voters shifting their political allegiance every four years. Prime Minister Šimonytė acknowledged this pattern, stating her respect for the voters' decision.

The elections took place in a tense geopolitical context, with Lithuania sharing borders with Russia's Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus. Amidst heightened concerns over Moscow's actions in Ukraine, analysts project no major shifts in Lithuania's established foreign policy stance, which remains strongly supportive of Ukraine and aligned with European Union and NATO directives.

The outgoing government had faced scrutiny over its strict pandemic measures, perceived inadequacies in economic support during lockdown, and issues with healthcare access. Additionally, Šimonytė's handling of the migrant influx from Belarus drew criticism, with claims that the influx was manipulated by Belarus and Russia.

Despite Lithuania's impressive double-digit annual personal income growth and its low inflation rate within the European Union, these economic indicators did not sway a majority of voters. The newly formed cabinet will also operate without the involvement of the populist Nemuno Aušra party, which won 20 seats but faced controversy after its leader's antisemitic remarks.

In the wake of the electoral outcomes, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis announced his resignation from the leadership of the Homeland Union and his departure from politics. Notably, the voter turnout reached 41.31 percent, marking one of the highest levels for a runoff election in Lithuania.