Vilnius - President Valdas Adamkus of Lithuania asked the conservative-leaning victor in the recent general election, Andrius Kubilius, to begin forming a new government Tuesday. Adamkus summoned Kubilius, leader of the Homeland Union - Christian Democrats, to the presidential palace in Vilnius, setting in motion a series of constitutional events that will likely see a new centre-right government in place by the end of November.
Kubilius' party emerged as the largest after two rounds of voting, with 44 seats in the 141-seat Lithuanian parliament or Seimas.
The Homeland Union has already signalled that it intends to call upon three other parties to join it in government.
Rounding out a new four-party ruling coalition will be 16 seats belonging to the Rising Nation Party, 11 seats from the Liberal Movement and a further eight from the Liberal and Centre Union.
Thus, the coalition will control at least 79 seats, while opposition parties will be able to muster a maximum of 62.
Kubilius is now set for a second spell as prime minister, after serving previously in the position from November 1999 to October 2000.
The Social Democrats of current Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas will become the largest opposition party, having secured 26 seats.
