Labour party will not ask Seimas speaker Loreta Graužinienė to step down despite widespread disapproval

When he left the Labour Party, Viktoras Uspaskichas, the party’s creator and honorary chairman , had some criticism for his colleagues in the party, and included the speaker as well. Uspaskich said that “this politician fails to represent not only the state or her occupied post, but herself as well.” He hinted that the party should consider delegating another member of the Labour party to the parliament speaker‘s position.

The Labour Party’s new leader, Valentinas Mazuronis, is convinced that there is no need to change anything. He said that “There is no reason to start any breakthroughs or transformations. Of course, next year we will need to work more effectively, more wisely, with more focus, and look for the best solutions.”

According to Gediminas Kirkilas, the Social Democratic party‘s representative and vice chairman of the Seimas, Loreta Graužinienė’s performance should first be assessed by the Labour Party themselves. According to Kirkilas, the parliament speaker‘s position usually remains unchanged when there is little time before the election of a new parliament. However, he acknowledged that it is impossible to forsee how the Labour Party will act. He said, “Maybe Graužinienė, like the previous Parliament Speaker, Vydas Gedvilas, will also be forced to retreat voluntarily. Such changes hinder the work of the coalition.”

Such a change would be supported by the largest opposition group – the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats parliamentary group. Jurgis Razma, the first deputy of the group, is convinced that the argument that there is not much time until the elections to the parliament is no obstacle to changing the speaker of the parliament.

Razma said that “The exchange procedure is quite fast, one hour or so and the issue is resolved. It is important that after the decision, a higher political quality would be achieved. I think that the oppositional groups would be happy to contribute to such change.”

Razma noted that Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats parliamentary group has recently debated whether or not they should declare a vote of no confidence for Loreta Graužinienė, especially given the dissatisfaction with her activities that has come from the ruling coalition as well.

Loreta Graužinienė assumed the Parliament Speaker‘s position in October 2013. She replaced her colleague, Vydas Gedvilas, who had worked in the position for a year.