More constructive dialog with conservatives possible after Landsbergis quits – Skvernelis

VILNIUS – With Gabrielius Landsbergis stepping down as chairman of the ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD), Saulius Skvernelis, leader of the Democratic Union "For Lithuania," believes these changes could lead to a more constructive dialogue with the party.

"It seems to me that the changes that might happen in the leadership of the Homeland Union could possibly lead us to expect a more constructive dialogue," Skvernelis said at a post-election press conference organized by BNS and LRT in Vilnius on Monday.

Landsbergis also announced earlier on Monday that he is handing over his seat in the new parliament to the next-in-line candidate on the HU-LCD list.

Skvernelis described the decision as "rather strange". 

"Giving up the parliamentary mandate is also a rather strange decision, but whether it will improve or worsen things in the parliament remains to be seen," he said.  

Landsbergis entered the new parliament on the party list but lost his single-member constituency race to Simonas Kairys of the Liberal Movement on Sunday.

The conservatives came in second in the parliamentary election, securing 28 seats in the 141-member parliament, well behind the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party with 52 seats.

The Dawn of the Nemunas (Nemuno Ausra) Party finished third with 20 seats, followed by the Democratic Union "For Lithuania" with 14, the Liberal Movement with 12, and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LFGU) with eight.