Social Democrat Kirkilas becomes 14th Lithuanian prime minister
AFP, July, 2006
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VILNIUS (AFP) — Lithuanian Defence Minister Gediminas Kirkilas has become the Baltic state's 14th prime minister since independence in 1991 as lawmakers overwhelmingly endorsed his nomination to the key post, ending a weeks-long political crisis.
In an electronic poll, 86 legislators voted for Kirkilas, who was nominated to the post last week by President Valdas Adamkus, 13 voted against and five abstained.
A simple majority of lawmakers who took part in the vote was needed for Kirkilas to get through.
A lawmaker since 1992, Kirkilas was supported not only by his Social Democrat Party and other groupings in a centre-left coalition, which has 53 seats in parliament, but also by the largest party in parliament, Labour.
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Labour has 31 seats in parliament, but not all its lawmakers were present for the vote.
Kirkilas will replace fellow Social Democrat Algirdas Brazauskas, who quit in May when his coalition ...
