The Social Democratic Party (LSDP) emerges a stronger political force in Lithuania after the second round of parliamentary elections in the Baltic country. With almost all votes counted, the Social Democrats secure 52 of the 141 seats in parliament, confirming predictions of a change of power.

The ruling conservative Union of the Fatherland (TS-LKD) faction of outgoing Prime Minister Ingrid Simonite is in second place with 28 seats.

The Social Democrats have already started talks to form a coalition government with two smaller parties: the Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL) which secured 14 seats and the Union of Lithuanian Peasants and Greens (LVŽS) which takes 8 seats. However, the coalition will have a slim parliamentary majority.

Voter turnout in Lithuania’s parliamentary elections reached 41%.

“The election result showed that the people of Lithuania want change, they need a completely different government,” said LSDP leader Vilija Blinkevičute.

After the results were announced, TS-LKD leader Gabrielius Landsbergis admitted defeat in the election and congratulated the Social Democrats on their success.

The newly formed populist party Nemuno Aušra (NA) led by Remigius Yemaitaitis takes 20 seats in the new parliament. Last year, Yemaitaitis resigned as an MP due to criticism he received for anti-Semitic comments. He is being prosecuted for inciting hatred, a charge he denies and insists he was merely criticizing the Israeli government over its policy in the Gaza Strip.

A new government led by the Social Democrats is expected to lead Lithuania to changes on economic and social issues, but not on foreign policy as the LSDP had made it clear before the election that it was in favor of supporting Ukraine and strengthening defenses against Russian threats .

The issue of national security is a serious concern for Lithuania, which sits on the eastern flank of NATO and the EU, and borders the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus, a close ally of Moscow.