VILNIUS - Negotiations have begun between Lithuania's political parties to form a majority bloc and seize control of the nation's parliament.
The government was dissolved on June 1 after the Labor Party withdrew its ministers from the ruling coalition.
Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas tendered the resignation of the government, which had been in power since the 2004 parliamentary elections.
The coalition began to disintegrate after the withdrawal of the Social Liberals in April. Last week the embattled Labor Party withdrew its five ministers following an internal split and an investigation into alleged corrupt payments to the party.
Finance Minister Zigmantas Balcytis, a Social Democrat, has been appointed caretaker prime minister. Party leaders will meet with President Valdas Adamkus on June 5 and begin jostling for power.
A left-wing alliance of the Social Democrats, Nation Farmers and the Civil
Democracy group have announced they will sign a cooperation agreement, securing 44 of the 141 seats in the parliament.
But right-wing parties are also mounting a challenge. The Conservatives and the Liberals have announced they will form a coalition with a combined total of 37 seats. The Social Liberals are also expected to join, increasing the right-wing bloc to 45 seats.
Questions remain over the position of the Labor Party, which is expected to announce its intentions on June 7.
