Lithuanian centre-right opposition claims victory in general election

VILNIUS, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Lithuania's main centre-right opposition Homeland Union party said it won the general election and will begin forming a new government with two smaller liberal parties, which together have a majority vote in the 141-seat parliament.

"At this moment it seems, that we will have a bit more than half votes in the parliament", said Ingrida Simonyte, who would lead the government, told reporters with 86 percent of the vote counted.

"This allows us to begin the initial talks (on forming a new government)", Gabrielius Landsbergis, chairman of Homeland Union, added.

The Baltic Sea state of less than 3 million people has fared relatively well in the coronavirus crisis, though cases have spiked of late as elsewhere around Europe. But Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis has faced criticism for failing to create more jobs and stop debt mounting. (Reporting By Andrius Sytas; editing by Diane Craft)