2024-08-04 09:14:21
For example, the mayor of Jonava, Mindaugas Sinkevičius, who was convicted in the “cheques” scandal, became 141st on the list of the Social Democratic Party, and the lawyer Ignas Vėgėlė, the third candidate in the presidential elections this spring, is at the bottom of the list of the Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union (LVŽS).
The last candidate of the Party of Regions in these Seimas elections was the Mayor of Širvintos District Živilė Pinskuvienė, and the former European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius was elected to the European Parliament (EP) as the 141st candidate of the Democratic Union “For Lithuania”.
Political scientist I. Kalpokas: there is no universal answer as to why
Political scientist Ignas Kalpokas, assistant professor at Vytautas Magnus University (VDU), says that although the recent trend can be seen in the electoral strategy of several parties, the reasons for each decision are probably different.
“It seems to me that despite the fact that it looks like a fashion in these Seimas elections, each of these cases has its own prehistory, and I don’t think there is a universal answer to why the number 141 suddenly became so, one might say, prestigious,” Eltai said. Kalpok.
For example, the decision of the Social Democrats to include M. Sinkevičius, who was convicted of abuse, falsification of documents or possessing a forged document, as well as embezzlement of property, to the end of the list shows the party’s position to give the responsibility of the decision regarding Jonava’s mayor’s possible entry into the Seimas to the voters, says I. Kalpokas.
“However, if we look at the Social Democrats, who, at least in these elections, set this trend, (…) number 141 was given to M. Sinkevičius “out of necessity” – as if it shows that we are somehow responding to the court’s decision, but at the same time the responsibility is thrown away and given to the voters,” said the political scientist.
At that time, other politicians, Ž. In the case of Pinskuvienė and V. Sinkevičius, they were generally included among the candidates for the Seimas as decorations on the list, says I. Kalpokas.
“Speaking of Ž. Pinskuvienė, even her voters, probably understand that she will not go anywhere from the position of mayor, but at the same time her name is very important for the list. This might be the strategy here – to show that this personality is with us, but at the same time without promising any concrete solutions”, the political scientist thinks.
“Regarding the Democrats, V. Sinkevičius’ assumption is apparently similar to Ž. In the case of Pinskuvienė, there may be some trends here. Because he will definitely not go from the EP to the Seimas. (…) In this place, he comes as a decoration of the list and, perhaps, it is simply a reminder that he is a person from this particular party, but at the same time it sends a signal that he is probably not very serious about aiming for the seat of a member of the Seimas”, said I. Kalpok.
In the case of I. Vēgėlė, the political scientist notes, this decision of the LVŽS was most likely determined by the results of the negotiations on the Seimas election process.
“Regarding I. Vēgėlė – I think that this is the result of the negotiation process, when I. Vēgėlė, probably with his too high demands, let go of the chance to be the first number on the list. Most likely, that first stage of negotiations failed, because I. Vēgėlė seemed to imagine a lot of things he could achieve after the presidential elections. Then, although a compromise had already been found, Ramūnas Karbauskis had promised Aurelijas Veryga the first issue. In addition, it was probably also a certain demonstration of R. Karbauskis’ strength,” said the political scientist.
Seimas elections will be held on October 13 this year.
2024-08-04 09:14:21