The prime minister of Lithuania (, , colloquially also referred to as the premier ) is the head of government of Lithuania. The prime minister is appointed by the president with the assent of the Lithuanian parliament, the Seimas. The modern office of prime minister was established in 1990, when Lithuania declared its independence, although the official title was "Chairperson of the Council of Ministers" until 25 November 1992.
Historically, the title of prime minister was also used between 1918 and 1940. This was during the original Republic of Lithuania, which lasted from the collapse of the Russian Empire until the country's annexation by the Soviet Union.
List
Lithuanian Provisional Governing Commission (1812) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Government Took office Left office Time in office 1 Józef SierakowskiActing 1 July 1812 18 July 1812 17 days Independent Sierakowski 2 Stanisław Sołtan1st time 18 July 1812 24 August 1812 36 days Independent Sołtan I 3 Dirk van Hogendorp 24 August 1812 29 September 1812 36 days Independent Hogendorp 4 Stanisław Sołtan2nd time 29 September 1812 14 December 1812 (de facto)July 1813 (de jure) 76 days (de facto)10 months (de jure) Independent Sołtan II
Republic of Lithuania (1918–1940) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Government Took office Left office Time in office 1 Augustinas Voldemaras1st time 11 November 1918 26 December 1918 Party of National Progress Voldemaras I 2 Mykolas Sleževičius1st time 26 December 1918 5 March 1919 Peasant Union Sleževičius I 3 Pranas Dovydaitis 13 March 1919 12 April 1919 Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party Dovydaitis Mykolas Sleževičius2nd time 12 April 1919 2 October 1919 Peasant Union Sleževičius II 4 Ernestas Galvanauskas1st time 7 October 1919 15 June 1920 Independent Galvanauskas I 5 Kazys Grinius 19 June 1920 18 January 1922 Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union Grinius Ernestas Galvanauskas2nd time 2 February 1922 17 June 1924 Independent Galvanauskas II–III–IV 6 Antanas Tumėnas 18 June 1924 27 January 1925 Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party Tumėnas 7 Vytautas Petrulis 4 February 1925 19 September 1925 Farmers' Association Petrulis 8 Leonas Bistras 25 September 1925 31 May 1926 Lithuanian Christian Democratic Party Bistras Mykolas Sleževičius3rd time 15 June 1926 17 December 1926 Lithuanian Popular Peasants' Union Sleževičius III Augustinas Voldemaras2nd time 17 December 1926 19 September 1929 Lithuanian Nationalist Union Voldemaras II 9 Juozas Tūbelis 23 September 1929 24 March 1938 Lithuanian Nationalist Union Tūbelis I–II–III 10 Vladas Mironas 24 March 1938 28 March 1939 Lithuanian Nationalist Union Mironas I–II 11 Jonas Černius 28 March 1939 21 November 1939 Lithuanian Nationalist Union Černius 12 Antanas Merkys 21 November 1939 15 June 1940 Lithuanian Nationalist Union Merkys
Following the ultimatum in June 1940, the forces of Soviet Union entered Lithuania, prompting President Antanas Smetona to flee the country. Antanas Merkys, who assumed the position of acting president in accordance with the constitution, soon announced he had taken over the Presidency on a permanent basis and appointed Justas Paleckis, favored by the Soviet authorities, as the Prime Minister ahead of the "people's government". Merkys soon resigned, allowing Paleckis to assume the post of acting president as well. The presidency of Merkys is not recognized as legitimate in modern Lithuania and Paleckis is not listed as an interwar Prime Minister in government sources.
Portrait Name Term of office Political party Government Took office Left office Time in office – Justas Paleckis 17 June 1940 24 June 1940 Communist Party of Lithuania – Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius 24 June 1940 1 July 1940 Communist Party of Lithuania People's Government
Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic (1940–1990) Portrait Name Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Lithuanian SSR 1 Mečislovas Gedvilas 25 August 1940 2 April 1946 Communist Party of Lithuania Chairmen of the Council of Ministers of the Lithuanian SSR 1 Mečislovas Gedvilas 2 April 1946 16 January 1956 Communist Party of Lithuania 2 Motiejus Šumauskas 16 January 1956 14 April 1967 Communist Party of Lithuania 3 Juozas Maniušis 14 April 1967 16 January 1981 Communist Party of Lithuania 4 Ringaudas Songaila 16 January 1981 18 November 1985 Communist Party of Lithuania 5 Vytautas Sakalauskas 18 November 1985 17 March 1990 Communist Party of Lithuania
Provisional Government of Lithuania (1941) Portrait Name Term of office Government Took office Left office Time in office – Juozas Ambrazevičius 23 June 1941 5 August 1941 Provisional Government
Republic of Lithuania (1990–present) From 11 March 1990 after adopting the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania.
Political parties and affiliations:
Portrait Name Term of office Political party Government Seimas Took office Left office Time in office 1 Kazimira Prunskienė 17 March 1990 10 January 1991 Independent Prunskienė SC–RS 2 Albertas Šimėnas 10 January 1991 13 January 1991 Independent Šimėnas 3 Gediminas Vagnorius 13 January 1991 21 July 1992 Independent Vagnorius I 4 Aleksandras Abišala 21 July 1992 17 December 1992 Independent Abišala 5 Bronislovas Lubys 17 December 1992 31 March 1993 Independent Lubys 6 6 Adolfas Šleževičius 31 March 1993 19 March 1996 Democratic Labour Party Šleževičius 7 Laurynas Stankevičius 19 March 1996 10 December 1996 Democratic Labour Party Stankevičius Gediminas Vagnorius 10 December 1996 4 May 1999 Homeland Union Vagnorius II 7 – Irena Degutienė 4 May 1999 10 June 1999 Homeland Union Vagnorius II 8 Rolandas Paksas 10 June 1999 27 October 1999 Homeland Union Paksas I – Irena Degutienė 27 October 1999 11 November 1999 Homeland Union Paksas I 9 Andrius Kubilius 11 November 1999 9 November 2000 Homeland Union Kubilius I Rolandas Paksas 9 November 2000 20 June 2001 Liberal Union Paksas II 8 – Eugenijus Gentvilas 20 June 2001 12 July 2001 Liberal Union Paksas II 10 Algirdas Brazauskas 12 July 2001 1 June 2006 Social Democrats Brazauskas I Brazauskas II 9 – Zigmantas Balčytis 1 June 2006 18 July 2006 Social Democrats Brazauskas II 11 Gediminas Kirkilas 18 July 2006 9 December 2008 Social Democrats Kirkilas Andrius Kubilius 9 December 2008 13 December 2012 Homeland Union Kubilius II 10 12 Algirdas Butkevičius 13 December 2012 13 December 2016 Social Democrats Butkevičius 11 13 Saulius Skvernelis 13 December 2016 11 December 2020 Independent Skvernelis 12 14 Ingrida Šimonytė 11 December 2020 12 December 2024 Homeland Union Šimonytė 13 15 Gintautas Paluckas 12 December 2024 4 August 2025 Social DemocratsPaluckas 14 – Rimantas Šadžius 4 August 2025 25 September 2025 Social Democrats 16 Inga Ruginienė 25 September 2025 23 June 2026 Social Democrats Ruginienė 23 June 2026 14 July 2026 17 Mindaugas Sinkevičius 14 July 2026 Incumbent Social Democrats Sinkevičius
See also Lists of office-holders Grand Chancellor of Lithuania
Timeline
References
External links Official site