Mr Sinkevičius is expected to announce his decision to his colleagues during a meeting of the LSDP Council to take on the role of head of government. The meeting is expected to be convened in the coming days. There is no doubt that the party leader will receive broad support. However, a vote in the Seimas still lies ahead.
Current Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė will have to step down from her post. According to sources, she has expressed a desire to return to the position of minister of social security and labour. A few weeks ago, during a conversation with Ruginienė, Sinkevičius had promised her that he would fulfil all her career wishes.
Social Democrat Jūratė Zailskienė currently heads the ministry.
Sinkevičius informed his closest colleagues more than a week ago that he intended to take on the role of prime minister. Still, in recent days, he has spoken much more cautiously than he did immediately after the LSDP council meeting, so even his future coalition partners have begun to wonder whether he has changed his mind.
Over the weekend, President Gitanas Nausėda also urged Sinkevičius to make and announce his decision sooner.
Early Monday morning, the leaders of the parties forming the new coalition reached a final agreement on the draft. A decision on ministerial portfolios is expected Monday evening. The party chairs have returned to their respective groups to consult.
From the published draft coalition agreement, it is already clear that a new 21st government will be formed. The current government, led by Ruginienė, is the 20th. If the prime minister remains the same, there would be no need to form a new government; it would suffice to replace a few ministers.
So far, it is clear that the Peasants' Union will retain the Ministries of Justice, Economy and Innovation. The Democrats are expected to receive the Ministries of Health and Energy, as well as one more—either the Ministry of the Environment or the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Social Democrats will control all the remaining ministries. However, some reshuffling may occur within them as well—most of the discussion centres on the Ministries of the Interior, Finance, and Foreign Affairs.
The coalition agreement is expected to be signed in the second half of this week.
Currently, the ruling majority in the Seimas has 80 representatives. If a new coalition is formed, it would have slightly fewer—75 votes.