President Adamkus says not happy with Seimas elections results

In Adamkus’ words, Lithuania is not yet taking full advantage of democracy.

“It will probably take more than a year and more than one election before we can say that we fully appreciate the opportunities that democracy provides to us and that our political life has already taken over the ideas of Western culture and follows them. Frankly, I am not glad about with the results of the elections,” the former president said in an interview to LRT Radio broadcast on Thursday.

“I will probably not live long enough to see this,” he said when asked how much time it might take for Lithuanians to truly embrace Western culture.

Adamkus said shortly after the second round of the elections last month that new faces in the country’s parliament and government were a positive thing. He also said that he was glad to see young people coming into government.

The Lithuanian Peasant and Green Union (LPGU), which has only one seat in the outgoing Seimas, won 56 seats in the 141-member parliament. The Homeland Union came in second with 31 seats and the Social Democratic Party, the largest party in the current legislature, finished third with 17 seats.

The Liberal Movement finished fourth with 14 seats.

Further down the list are the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania – Christian Families Alliance and the Order and Justice Party with eight each, followed by the Labor Party with two, and the Green Party, the Center Party and the List of Lithuania with one each. Two independent candidates also secured seats in the new Seimas.