Alumna of the European Women’s Academy (EWA) Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, the leader of ALDE Party member Liberalų Sąjūdis (Liberal Movement), has been elected Speaker of Parliament with 106 votes.

Čmilytė-Nielsen will be the third woman to hold this position in Lithuania. Previously, she led the parliamentary group of Liberal Movement. She will now be succeeded by Eugenijus Gentvilas.

In her statement following the announcement, Čmilytė-Nielsen thanked her colleagues of the support she has received and noted:

“I am honored to be the President of the Seimas. I understand this as given duty to seek agreement in the Seimas to ensure a standard of honest policy that fits all citizens.

I would like to evaluate the decision of the members of the Seimas as an agreement to act together and to look at the future constructively. I have no doubt that this is how we can approve and renew the Seimas work culture.”

More announcements related to the composition of the new Lithuanian government are expected to take place later this week.

Photo: Screenshot from the first vote of the new Seimas