Lithuanian Parliament Approves Mindaugas Sinkevicius as PM

On Tuesday, the Lithuanian Parliament approved Mindaugas Sinkevicius as the new Prime Minister, following a vote where 72 members supported and 29 opposed his government's program, with four abstentions. Sinkevicius, a member of the Social Democratic Party, succeeds Inga Ruginiene, who stepped down after serving as Prime Minister for a year.

His government is committed to maintaining defense spending above 5% of Lithuania's gross domestic product (GDP) to ensure security against potential threats from Russia and Belarus. Sinkevicius emphasized the importance of the continued presence of U.S. troops in Lithuania as a key deterrent against Russian aggression, particularly in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The next parliamentary elections in Lithuania are scheduled for October 2028.