LRT English Newsletter – November 15, 2024.
Lithuania has its new parliament – the Social Democrats now run the show with 52 seats, who are due to form a government together with the Nemunas Dawn and its 20 MPs, as well as Democrats “For Lithuania” who won 14 seats.
The opposition block will be led by the conservative Homeland Union (TS-LKD) with 28 MPs. The rest of the seats are taken up by 12 MPs from the Liberal Movement, eight from the Farmers and Greens (LVŽS), three from the Polish minority party (LLRA–KŠS), one MP each from the Freedom Party and the National Alliance, as well as two independent MPs. All but four of them – the country’s MEPs and the outgoing foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, refused their seats – gave their oath on Thursday. It didn’t go down without a hitch.
A group of Lithuanian opposition MPs left the hall when Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the populist Nemunas Dawn, stepped up to the podium. This is where it’s important to pivot to Žemaitaitis and the anti-Semitism controversy that surrounds him.
So what did he say or do exactly? It all started with a series of Facebook posts, as well as later statements in an LRT interview doubling down on his previous claims. Some of the rhetoric criticised Israel, but others felt Žemaitaitis had crossed the line by also directing his outburst at Jewish people. The Prosecutor’s Office opened a probe, while the Constitutional Court said he had broken his parliamentary oath. The law enforcement never outlined which parts were anti-Semitic, but we are likely to find out if the pre-trial investigation into incitement of hatred reaches the courts.
Taking a stab at Žemaitaitis, President Gitanas Nausėdas in his speech to the parliament said “the Seimas chamber is now your workplace, not the social media.”
A prosecutor has already asked the Seimas to begin the process of lifting his immunity. Recall, the coalition agreed that if any of their MPs are requested by law enforcement to forfeit their legal immunity, they will comply.
Meanwhile, Nausėda has hinted he would not approve Nemunas Dawn members in the cabinet – and they are projected to run three ministries – unless they are non-party technocrats. A group of Lithuanian non-governmental organisations and networks signed an open letter asking the Social Democrats to think again, while some 4,000 people also gathered at the Nepriklausomybės Square in Vilnius on Thursday to protest against Nemunas Dawn being part of the coalition.
In response, Žemaitaitis told foreign diplomats in a statement that he wasn’t anti-Semitic, accusing the political opposition of fanning the controversy.
REACTIONS SO FAR
There have been some reactions from outside. A flurry of articles by international media profiling the controversy trended briefly in Lithuania. There was also the statement from Ben Cardin, chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, condemning the decision to include the Nemunas Dawn. Germany’s Social Democrats also said they were “closely following the developments”.
Many immediately looked toward Washington and Berlin, arguably Lithuania’s key security guarantors, where anti-Semitism could be a deal breaker for any future agreements. Could it also affect Germany’s plans to deploy a brigade here? “The Germans are very well aware that Žemaitaitis is not Lithuania,” the outgoing defence minister, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, said.
Lithuania’s Social Democrats held firm on their coalition plans. The deputy of the party and the likely prime minister, Gintautas Paluckas, also claimed that spreading the message about anti-Semitism of their coalition partner was “anti-state activity”. Some see the shadow of one particular conservative MP in rallying international outcry. Read more here (in Lithuanian).
IN OTHER NEWS
– Lithuania could bank on its future “black gold”.
– A Russian ice skater wants to keep her Lithuanian citizenship.
– What’s the economic direction of the new coalition?
– More flights between Vilnius and Copenhagen.
– No more anonymous SIM cards.
– No China in Lithuania’s crucial sustainable power development.
– No more gambling ads from January 1.
– Also no more customs treaties with Belarus.
– Restaurants in Kaunas are not doing too well.
– And I guess we are already preparing for Christmas.
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