Virginijus Sinkevičius Elected Chairman of Democratic Party "Vardan Lietuvos"

Virginijus Sinkevičius has been elected as the new chairman of the Lithuanian political party "Demokratų sąjunga „Vardan Lietuvos“" (Democrats Union "For Lithuania"). The election saw 278 party members cast their votes, with Sinkevičius receiving a strong endorsement from 218 members. He outperformed his closest rival, the Minister of Health Linas Kukuraitis, who garnered 60 votes.

Initially, four candidates vied for the leadership position. However, the field narrowed as Seimas member and former Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius withdrew his candidacy, and Energy Minister Lukas Savickas later announced his withdrawal from the race. Sinkevičius had been temporarily leading the party since April, taking over after the founder, Saulius Skvernelis, stepped down amid a large-scale corruption investigation.

The party congress also convened to approve a resolution defining the political identity of the Democrats Union "For Lithuania." The resolution outlines the party's self-definition as a center-left democratic political force, grounding its decisions in data, competence, rational and socially responsible public finance management, and accountability for implemented decisions. The party pledges to defend democratic institutions, the rule of law, human rights, and freedoms, while fostering a mature political culture based on professionalism, dialogue, and responsibility.

The congress was attended by the Prime Minister and representatives from the Social Democratic Party. The party, established in January 2022, secured 14 seats in the parliament following the 2024 Seimas elections. The departure of founder Saulius Skvernelis in the spring, following suspicions in a bribery case, led to his suspension of party membership and resignation from the chairmanship, paving the way for Sinkevičius's interim leadership.