Conservatives have finished nominating candidates for president and EP: the leaders have emerged

As announced in the message released by the party, on Sunday, September 24. TS-LKD branches have finished presenting possible candidacies for the president and the European Parliament (EP) for elections. Candidates were nominated by 70 sections of the Conservative Party.

In addition to I. Šimonytė, G. Landsbergis and M. Navickienė, more than half of the party’s branches offer candidates for the chairman of the Seimas National Security and Defense Committee in the presidential elections (NSGK) to Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anušauskas, Deputy Speaker of the Seimas Pauliis Saudargas.

Prime Minister I. Šimonytė was nominated by 66 departments, G. Landsbergis – by 64 departments. M. Navickienė, who is seen by 62 departments as president, is not far behind them.

At that time, 54 conservative branches nominated L. Kasčiūnas as a contender for the elections of the head of the country. 42 chapters – A. Anušauskas. P. Saudargas, whose candidacy was supported by Chapter 41, received almost the same support.

Former president D. Grybauskaitė, who did not belong to the party at the time, was nominated by the 18th TS-LKD branch.

The party also proposed candidates for the EP elections. Current MEPs received the most offers to run for office Andrius Kubilius, Rasa Juknevičienė, Liudas Mažylis. More than 20 party branches nominated Radvilė Morkūnaitė-Mikulėnienė, the elder of the conservative faction of the Seimas, and P. Saudargas, M. Navickienė, L. Kasčiūnas, G. Landsbergis, A. Anušauskas, Seimas member Justas Džiugelis, MP Audroniis Ažubalis, Finance Minister Gintarė Skaistė.

It is announced that a total of 70 candidates have been proposed for the EP elections.

According to TS-LKD executive secretary Martyn Prievelis, the proposed department candidates will be evaluated by the Supervisory Committee, and later, after receiving the opinions of the candidates and objectively assessing the candidates’ readiness to occupy the position of president, the Presidium will make a decision on the final list of candidates and determine the detailed rules for the organization of elections and campaigning.

It is expected that on November 11-12 of this year TS-LKD will organize open primary presidential elections and ranking of the EP list. After the open primaries, the presidential candidate with the most votes will be given the support of TS-LKD.

After the primary elections, TS-LKD Presidium will confirm the results. The TS-LKD Council, at the proposal of the Presidium, will approve TS-LKD support for the presidential candidate who received the highest number of votes.

So far, none of the proposed TS-LKD contenders have publicly announced their decision regarding the upcoming elections.

The next election of the head of the country will be held in 2024. in may So far, only a member of the Union of Lithuanian Peasants and Greens has announced his candidacy Aurelius Veryga and the mayor of Kazlų Rūda Mantas Varaška. The Lithuanian Party of Regions expressed support for the latter.

At a time EP elections should take place next June.