Lithuanian Parliament to Approve New Government Program Amid Procedural Questions

The Lithuanian Parliament is poised to approve the program of the 21st Government, marking the official commencement of the cabinet led by Prime Minister-designate M. Sinkevičius.

President Gitanas Nausėda has formally endorsed the composition of the new government. Key appointments include Taurimas Valys as Finance Minister, Ieva Andriulaitytė as Environment Minister, Lukas Alsys as Culture Minister, and Martynas Katelynas as Interior Minister. Robertas Kaunas will continue as Defense Minister, Raminta Popovienė as Education, Science, and Sports Minister, and Kęstutis Budrys as Foreign Affairs Minister. Juras Taminskas will head the Transport Ministry.

The new government also includes Rita Tamašunienė, delegated by the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania–Christian Families Alliance, as Justice Minister, and Edvinas Grikšas, delegated by the "farmers," as Economy and Innovation Minister. Representatives from the Democratic Union "Vardan Lietuvos" will serve as ministers for Energy, Health, and Agriculture.

Despite the impending approval, former Constitutional Court President Egidijus Kūris has voiced concerns regarding the procedural adherence to the constitution in the presentation of the government's program. He noted that the draft program was submitted before the cabinet's official confirmation.

The government's program outlines priorities including strengthening national defense against external threats, fostering economic growth, improving conditions for families, and mitigating the impact of rising prices by increasing incomes. It also aims to ensure equal access to quality education, extend healthy life expectancy, modernize transport infrastructure, invest in sustainable energy, enhance public order, and support rural development and agriculture. Foreign policy is also a key focus, with plans to increase child benefits, accelerate pension indexation, and continue the analysis of the "Sodra" reserve.