Lithuanian SocDem leader blames election defeat on low turnout

  • 2019-09-23
  • BNS/TBT Staff

VILNIUS - Gintautas Paluckas, the leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), has blamed his defeat in Sunday's parliamentary by-election to a low turnout of voters.  

"The main reason (for the defeat) is that people saw little sense in this election. Hence, the 15 percent turnout in the second round," Paluckas told BNS on Sunday.

"Usually, the higher the turnout, the better for us. The lower the turnout, the greater the influence of the conservatives' loyal supporters on the final outcome of the election," he said. 

Paluckas said he was ready to submit his leadership to a confidence vote if asked to by the party. 

Paule Kuzmickiene of the conservative Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats won the second round in the capital's Zirmunai constituency with 52.03 percent of the vote, defeating Paluckas with 46.98 percent. 

The voter turnout in Zirmunai was a mere 15.34 percent.  

The by-election was held after MP Ausra Maldeikiene was elected to the European Parliament. 

A by-election was also held on Sunday in Gargzdai, in western Lithuania and in the Ziemgala constituency covering the northern districts of Pakruojis and Joniskis and part of Siauliai District.