Paluckas was nominated by 49 branches of the LSDP, whereas one branch each put forward Olekas and Mitrofanovas.
LSDP branches also nominated Jonava Mayor Mindaugas Sinkevičius and Minister of Culture Šarūnas Birutis as candidates, but the two announced that they would not take part in the race.
Voting in the leadership election will last until Saturday, 26 April. A second voting round will take place on 7-10 May if needed.
The newly elected chair of the Social Democratic Party will assume duties on 17 May, at the party’s convention in Vilnius.
At the end of February 2025, incumbent Chairwoman Vilija Blinkevičiūtė announced that she would not seek for re-election. The MEP first became the party’s leader in 2021 and was re-elected for the second term in 2023.
Paluckas had led the LSDP from 2017 to 2020, when he stepped down from the position.