On 3 March, Lithuanians went to polls to elect 60 mayors and 1,442 council members across the country. 19 mayors were elected in the first round while 41 municipalities will hold a run-off mayoral election on 17 March.

The public election committees – legal groups made up citizens that contest in the municipal elections without joining a political party – obtained the highest number of votes (26.76%).

Nationwide, both ALDE party members kept their representation in several municipalities: Liberalų sąjūdis (Liberal Movement) secured 119 seats while the Darbo Partija (Labour Party) gained 60 seats.

Two candidates from Liberal Movement were elected Mayors in the first round: MP Vitalijus Gailius in the Joniškis district and Antanas Černeckis in Rietavas. Eight more candidates, including Kęstutis Stankevičius in Zarasai, will contest in the run-off elections later this month.

In Vilnius, the mayoral race remains open. The incumbent liberal mayor Remigijus Šimašius will compete in a mayoral run-off election against the former Mayor of Vilnius Arturas Zuokas. As for the council, Šimašius’ public election committee ‘For Vilnius we are proud!’ (Už Vilnių, kuriuo didžiuojamės!) obtained 17 seats while Darbo Partja obtained five mandates.