On 18 January, the Lithuanian Parliament (Seimas) approved in the first vote the constitutional amendment aimed at implementing the ECHR judgment in the case concerning the former president Rolandas Paksas. The Court has found a violation of the applicant’s right to free elections due to the permanent and irreversible nature of his disqualification from standing for parliamentary elections, as a result of his removal from presidential office following impeachment proceedings. The amendment was approved with a majority of 131 votes in favour (no votes against, one abstention).
A constitutional amendment must be voted on twice, with an interval of at least three months between the votes, and requires a two-thirds majority (94 votes), to be adopted. It shall come into force not earlier than one month after its adoption.
A date for the second vote is expected to be scheduled after the beginning of the Seimas’ spring session on 10 March 2022.
