ELECTIONS. Liberal Movement preparing for coalition negotiations

The Liberal Movement has set up a work group for negotiations with potential coalition partners and have agreed on the topics they want to see included in the new cabinet’s programme. Liberal Movement representative Martynas Čerkauskas states that the main points in their negotiation guidelines are raising the tax-free income size, reducing Sodra [social security] and value added taxation, as well as the provision of not taxing reinvested profits.

Other points of negotiation for the party are questions of removing the orphanage system, legalising partnership, legalising double citizenship and implementing internet voting.

The negotiations will be led by party chairman and Vilnius mayor Remigijus Šimašius, Liberal Movement frontrunner Eugenijus Gentvilas and member of Seimas Vitalijus Gailius. Party electoral programme coordinator Gintaras Steponavičius is also included in the group, to substitute any of the aforementioned if need be.

E. Gentvilas has told BNS that they have yet to plan any specific meetings. According to the politician, opportunities should become clearer on Tuesday when the Conservative party conclude discussions on the first round and start preparing for the second. Gentvilas earlier stated that the Liberals are preparing for negotiations with the Conservatives (TS-LKD).

M. Čerkauskas concedes that the party will likely not be the axis of the coalition, with the more popular parties likely making the main decisions. He expects negotiations with potential coalition partners to begin after the second round of elections.

The Liberal Movement earned 9% of the vote in the multi-mandate electoral district, taking 8 mandates. Another 12 party candidates will compete in the second round in single-mandate districts.
Preliminary data suggests that the TS-LKD won the elections in the multi-mandate district, earning 21.6% of the vote, which is just 0.6% ahead of the Lithuanian Peasant and Greens Union. The Social Democrats came in third at 14% of the vote and 13 mandates.