"I will stand as a candidate for the chairman of the Freedom Party as I feel great responsibility for the party’s community, for more than 56,000 voters who cast ballots for us in elections and for the Lithuanian people who do not disavow the idea of a safe, bright and progressive Lithuania even in the darkest moments," Raskevičius announced in a post on social network Facebook on Wednesday.
The politician added that the number of members joining the Freedom Party has increased despite the party’s defeat in elections, and this was one of the factors encouraging him to seek for the leadership position.
Speaking about his goals, Raskevičius said he would seek the Freedom Party to be noticeable in European, national and municipal politics. Before that, however, he called to closely analyse why the party lost in the 2024 parliamentary race.
The party’s acting chairman, Vytautas Mitalas, earlier announced that he was not looking to lead the party.
Freedom Party’s co-founder Remigijus Šimašius, former mayor of Vilnius city, has not publicly spoken about his plans as regards the possibility of leading the party.
As reported, the Freedom Party failed to surpass the 5% vote threshold in the Seimas election in October and lost all of its 10 seats in parliament. None of its representatives were elected in single-member constituencies either. Armonaitė resigned as chairwoman after the election loss. The election of new leadership is expected at an extraordinary convention on 30 November.