Seimas announced the dates for the 2019 elections

Press release, 25 September 2018

In its sitting, the Seimas endorsed its resolutions announcing the dates for the presidential, local and European Parliament elections.

The local government elections are to be held on 3 March 2019, while the presidential election will take place on 12 May 2019 and the European Parliament elections in Lithuania will be organised on 26 May 2019.

The Seimas Resolution (draft No XIIIP-2529(2)) on Elections to Municipal Councils will come into force on 7 November 2018. Following the established procedure, the Seimas announces the date of the elections to municipal councils no later than five months prior to the expiration of the powers of the incumbent municipal councillors. The last local elections were held on 1 March 2015.

In accordance with Article 80 of the Constitution, the regular election of the President of the Republic is held on the last Sunday two months before the expiry of the term of office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. The term of office of Dalia Grybauskaitė, the incumbent President of the Republic of Lithuania, will expire on 12 July 2019. It was therefore decided to organise the presidential election on 12 May 2019. The Seimas Resolution (draft No XIIIP-2530(2)) on the Presidential Election will enter into force on 12 November 2018.

The European Parliament elections in Lithuania are held at the same time as in the rest of the EU Member States. The European Parliament has decided to hold the EP elections on 23–26 May 2019. The Seimas must announce the exact date of the elections not later than six months prior to a Sunday falling within the specified period of time. Hence, the Seimas Resolution (draft No XIIIP-2531(2)) on the European Parliament Elections will come into effect as from 26 November 2018.

Rimas Rudaitis, Chief Specialist, Press Office, Information and Communication Department, tel. +370 5 239 6132, e-mail: [email protected]