How "anti-Semitic" party came to power in Lithuania and what change it brings for Ukraine
The Social Democrats, who won Lithuania's parliamentary elections, announced the format of the upcoming coalition late last week. This announcement shocked many Lithuanians and even drew sharp criticism from the US Congress.
The Social Democrats invited the Dawn of Nemunas party to join the coalition. The party's leader, Remigijus Žemaitaitis, recently lost his parliamentary mandate and faces charges for anti-Semitic statements (he is also known for anti-Ukrainian statements).
On Monday, 11 November, three parties officially signed the coalition agreement. As a result, many voters, including those who supported the Social Democrats, feel openly deceived.
Read more about the motives behind this decision and its potential repercussions for Lithuania and Ukraine in the article by Yurii Panchenko, the European Pravda editor – Lithuania chooses an 'anti-Semitic' coalition: Why Vilnius exposed itself to harsh criticism from allies.
Following the election results, the Social Democrats and the Democrats (the Union of Democrats 'For the Good of Lithuania') together hold only 66 seats, while at least 71 are required for a parliamentary majority.
Despite the wide range of coalition options, the Social Democrats chose to invite Dawn of Nemunas, a decision which Democratic leader Saulius Skvernelis explained as "the responsibility and choice of our Social Democratic colleagues."
The choice is surprising, especially since, before the election, Social Democrat leader Vilija Blinkevičiūtė had promised not to form a coalition with Dawn of Nemunas due to its leader's anti-Semitic remarks.
"This commitment not to form a coalition with Dawn of Nemunas was made by Vilija Blinkevičiūtė. As you may recall, I did not make such promises," stated Gintautas Paluckas, the Social Democrats' nominee for prime minister.
After the second round of elections, in which the Social Democrats achieved a sensational victory, Blinkevičiūtė declined the role of prime minister, citing health issues. She also declined a seat in the Seimas. Her health problems will not prevent her from continuing her work as a Member of the European Parliament and leading her party.
This replacement itself seemed deceptive to voters, who had supported the Social Democrats partly to see Blinkevičiūtė as prime minister.
Adding to this is the rather contentious reputation of the incoming prime minister.
First and foremost, in 2012, Lithuania's Supreme Court found Paluckas guilty of abuse of office.
It’s likely that the highly controversial Dawn of Nemunas was brought into the coalition to secure a confident majority of 86 seats, ensuring a smooth confirmation for Paluckas, even if a significant portion of the Social Democrat parliamentary group were to vote against him.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda supports this theory: "I believe this choice (to include Dawn of Nemunas in the coalition) is largely driven by the desire to secure a majority that leaves no doubts about Mr. Paluckas being confirmed as prime minister in the Seimas. We want to avoid unpleasant surprises," he explained.
Nausėda also clarified that he sees no role in the new government for Dawn of Nemunas leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis, as it could hinder "active and effective" foreign policy.
However, the coalition will face significant pressure both domestically and internationally to confirm the new government.
This intense criticism at the coalition’s outset increases the likelihood that such a government may not last long.
Lithuanian political scientist Mažvydas Jastramskis predicts that the coalition in its current form may not survive for more than two years. "The initial signals from the international community indicate that we are making a grave mistake," he wrote on Facebook.
Under the Social Democrats, Lithuania risks losing its leadership role in supporting Kyiv, which would undoubtedly harm Ukraine.