Lithuania election: Ruling Homeland Union Party concedes vote as Social Democrats take lead

Social Democrats ahead early in second round of country's parliamentary election

Vilija Blinkeviciute, leader of the Social Democratic Party, speaks to the press at a polling station during the second round of voting in parliamentary elections in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Sunday, October 27, 2024. AP

Leader of the Social Democratic Party Vilija Blinkeviciute prepares to cast her vote at a polling station during a second round of voting in parliamentary election, in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (AP Photo / Mindaugas Kulbis)

Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda casts his ballot at a polling station in Vilnius. AFP

Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda with his wife Diana Nausediene after voting during the second round of parliamentary elections at a polling station in Vilnius. AFP

A woman casts her ballot at a polling station during a second round of voting in parliamentary election in Vilnius, Lithuania. AP

A voter casts his ballot at a polling station in Vilnius. AFP

A voter casts her ballot at a polling station in Vilnius. AFP

A girl helps to cast a ballot at a polling station in Vilnius. AP

Lithuania's ruling Homeland Union Party lost the election for parliament on Sunday, with the party's leader Gabrielius Landsbergis saying he hopes the opposition Social Democrats will form a responsible government.

The opposition Social Democrats took an early lead in the second round of Lithuania's election, with voters focusing on concerns over the cost of living and possible threats from neighbouring Russia.

Official government data showed the centre-left grouping leading with 33 seats after 64 per cent of the vote was counted, on top of 20 won in the first round, in a 141-member assembly, ahead of the ruling Homeland Union Party which led in six constituencies in addition to 18 first-round wins.

The Baltic country of 2.9 million people has a hybrid voting system in which half of parliament is elected by popular vote. The rest are decided in district-based run-off votes between the top two candidates, a process that favours the larger parties.

If the Social Democrats (SD) succeed in forming a government, they are expected to maintain Lithuania's hawkish stance against Russia and hefty defence spending.

Lithuania will spend about 3 per cent of GDP on its armed forces this year, according to Nato estimates, making it the military alliance's sixth-biggest spender.

"Probably there will be some changes, but I want to believe that direction will remain the same," Marius Slepetis, a businessman, told Reuters after his young daughter dropped his ballot into the box.

The SD won 20 per cent of the vote in the first round on October 13, making it the largest party ahead of the ruling Homeland Union with 18 per cent and the anti-establishment Nemunas Dawn with 15 per cent.

Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's centre-right three-party coalition has seen its popularity eroded by inflation that topped 20 per cent two years ago, deteriorating public services and a widening rich-poor gap.

After the first round, SD leader Vilija Blinkeviciute said she was already in talks about forming a majority coalition government with two other parties – For Lithuania, and the Farmers and Greens Union.

The SD made a pact with opposition parties to support all run-off candidates in contests against Ms Simonyte's Homeland Union nominees.

Domestic economic issues were in focus during the election campaign, with the SD vowing to tackle increased inequality by raising taxes on wealthier Lithuanians to help fund more spending on health care and social support.

But national security is also a major concern in Lithuania, which lies on the eastern flank of Nato and the EU and shares a border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus, a close Moscow ally.

"For me, it's of utmost importance to keep the calmness and to stop the war in Ukraine," Mykolas Zvinys, 79, told Reuters before casting his vote on the outskirts of Vilnius.

Three-quarters of Lithuanians think Russia could attack their country in the near future, a Baltijos Tyrimai/ELTA opinion poll found in May.