(Bloomberg) -- Lithuanian lawmakers backed Social Democrat Gintautas Paluckas as the Baltic nation’s next prime minister, giving him approval to form a new government.
Legislators in Vilnius voted 88-34, with six abstentions, for Paluckas, who now has two weeks to form a cabinet and win final approval of his government program in parliament.
Paluckas, 45, who is deputy chairman of the Social Democratic Party, was selected to lead the government after party leader Vilija Blinkeviciute, 64, unexpectedly opted against taking the premiership. The decision after her party’s election victory prompted criticism among Lithuanian voters.
The premier-designate than came under more pressure at home and abroad over his decision to forge an alliance with the populist Dawn of Nemunas party, whose leader is on trial over charges of antisemitism.
President Gitanas Nauseda has warned he’ll reject any ministers affiliated with the Dawn of Nemunas. Paluckas is set to meet Nauseda Thursday to discuss a cabinet lineup.
Demonstrators are scheduled to gather in the capital late Thursday for a second protest against the Social Democrats’ coalition plans.
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