Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas Resigns Amid Corruption Allegations

Lithuania's Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas announced his resignation amid escalating allegations of conflicts of interest and nepotism, stating, 'I have made the decision to resign from the office of Prime Minister.' Paluckas, a member of the Social Democratic Party, indicated that he would soon submit his official resignation request to President Gitanas Nauseda. This resignation comes as Paluckas has faced increasing scrutiny over questionable business relations and mounting calls for his resignation from various political quarters, including one of the coalition partners in his center-left government. Current investigations are underway in Lithuania regarding the former and current business dealings of the 45-year-old Prime Minister, who has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing and branded the allegations as political attacks from his opponents. President Nauseda had publicly urged Paluckas to respond to the growing public concerns or reconsider his role, ultimately escalating the pressure on the Prime Minister. The President expressed that Paluckas' resignation was 'the right decision,' especially after granting him a two-week ultimatum to address these serious allegations. In a bid to evade the mounting pressures, Paluckas took a two-week vacation at the beginning of the week. However, his situation worsened with reports indicating that authorities had searched a company owned by his sister-in-law. She is alleged to have purchased electric batteries from a company in which Paluckas holds a 49 percent stake during his term as Prime Minister. In his resignation statement, Paluckas maintained that he did not believe he had committed any fundamental errors during his time in office. Yet he acknowledged that he did not wish to burden the government and its operations with ongoing scandals, thus justifying his withdrawal from both the Prime Minister's position and the leadership of the Social Democrats. Gintautas Paluckas has served as Prime Minister of Lithuania since November 2024 and has been navigating political turbulence in a nation that is part of both the European Union and NATO. His departure signifies a noteworthy shift in Lithuania's political landscape amid ongoing issues related to governance and transparency. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2