Social Democrat leader Vilija Blinkeviciute told reporters on Wednesday that Paluckas was “best prepared” for the top job as she had opted not to take it on for health reasons.

Social Democrats won 52 seats in the 141-member parliament, defeating the center-right Homeland Union party in an election dominated by frustration with the cost of living and worry over potential threats from neighboring Russia.

The Social Democrats are now in talks with several smaller parties to form a majority governing coalition.

The left-leaning party has pledged to maintain Lithuania’s hefty defense spending, which, at about 3% of GDP this year, is the sixth biggest per capita in the NATO alliance.

The popular Blinkeviciute, 64 years old, led the Social Democrat election campaign and had pledged to become prime minister if elected, but indicated on Tuesday she had changed her mind.

“I am a pensioner... I do not have the ability to be a prime minister because of my age and my health,” she said. Blinkeviciute will however remain a member of the European Parliament, where she has served since 2009.

Paluckas, 45 years old, led the Social Democrats in 2017-21 but resigned in favour of Blinkeviciute after the party’s lacklustre showing in the 2020 election.