Lithuanian parliament backs Health Minister Andriukaitis for European Commission

Andriukaitis was supported by all members of the ruling coalition, while the opposition Liberal MPs as well as representatives of the opposition conservative Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats voted against or abstained.

The Social Democratic Party of Lithuania, represented by the largest political group in the Seimas, is nominating Andriukaitis for European commissioner and President Dalia Grybauskaitė has already backed him.

Under the Law on the Government, a candidate for European commissioner is officially nominated by the government upon the approval of the president and following consultations with the Seimas.

Andriukaitis is a signatory to the 11 March Act of Independence and has been a longstanding member of the parliamentary Committee on European Affairs who chaired the committee in 2000-2004. He led the Lithuanian delegation at the Convention on the Future of Europe in 2002-2003. In the current government, he heads the Ministry of Healthcare.

Since July 2009, Lithuania has been represented in the European Commission by Algirdas Šemeta who is in charge of taxation and customs union, audit and anti-fraud. His term ends in the autumn.