13 Social Democratic MPs back coalition with Farmers

Viktoras Pranckietis, the speaker of the Seimas (parliament), on Tuesday announced a coalition declaration that was signed by the two political groups on Sunday, saying that this means that the ruling majority has 76 seats in the parliament.

However, the figure includes the Social Democratic MPs who do not support the deal. Algirdas Sysas, chairman of the Committee on Social Affairs and Labor, and Rasa Budbergyte, vice-chairwoman of the Committee on European Affairs, have already submitted their resignations from the posts.

Whether or not the ruling coalition has the minimum majority of 71 votes in the 141-member parliament depends on how many Social Democrats support the coalition.

Social Democrat Irena Siauliene, deputy speaker of the Seimas, told reporters that 14 members of the Social Democratic group backed the coalition.

“I believe there are 14 of us, including the Labor Party members,” she said.

However, there are only 13 signatures on the document. Social Democratic MP Algimantas Salamakinas is expected to back the coalition, but he did not sign the document. His signature would give the coalition the minimum majority in the Seimas.

“I won’t sign. I am in the opposition,” the lawmaker told BNS.

The LFGU has 56 votes plus the vote of Pranckietis, who is formally not a member of the party’s group in the Seimas.

On the other hand, even though some Social Democrats do not support the coalition deal with the LFGU, they do not plan to pull out of the LSDP block.

The LSDP council voted last Saturday to withdraw from the government coalition with the LFGU.