Lithuanian Foreign Minister quits as chairman of ruling party

Vilnius, Oct 28 Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis announced on Monday that he is stepping down as chairman of the ruling Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) and giving up his seat in the newly elected parliament.

"I'm making the decision to take a break from my political career. I'm handing over my mandate to my colleague next in line," Landsbergis said at a post-election press conference.

Landsbergis lost his single-member constituency race to Simonas Kairys of the Liberal Movement, Xinhua news agency reported.

Lithuania's opposition Social Democratic Party won the parliamentary election runoff on Sunday, according to preliminary results from the Central Electoral Commission.

The ruling TS-LKD came second in the elections and will provisionally have a faction of 28 members in the Seimas, Lithuania's parliament.

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