Ruling coalition party leaders warn that snap elections could be on the horizon if President Gitanas Nausėda refuses to approve cabinet nominees from the Nemunas Dawn party.
Remigijus Žemaitaitis, Nemunas Dawn leader, said on Tuesday the ruling coalition may collapse if Nausėda continues to block appointments to the environment and energy ministries.
“It may happen that this government will not be approved, then there will have to be a new government, and then early elections are also likely,” Žemaitaitis said in an interview with Delfi.lt.
His comments followed a pledge from fellow party member Robertas Puchovičius that the faction would nominate its lawmakers to fill the two vacant ministerial posts.
Nausėda has previously warned he will not appoint Nemunas Dawn candidates, citing Žemaitaitis’ ongoing trial for anti-Semitic statements and Holocaust denial, as well as a separate investigation into the party’s financing.
Social Democratic Party chairman Mindaugas Sinkevičius said a repeat rejection would put the coalition’s survival in doubt.
“Žemaitaitis has said that a second rejection would mean their withdrawal. If that happens – either through withdrawal or the coalition agreement breaking down – we will likely begin talks with everyone, including the opposition, to see who might support us or join us. If that does not work, we will end up with early elections,” Sinkevičius said.
He added that while the president has the constitutional authority to refuse ministerial candidates, the decision complicates government formation. “Whether there can be exceptions, whether the president might change his stance or trust the prime minister and parliamentary majority, we will see,” Sinkevičius said.
On Monday, Nausėda rejected proposed nominees Povilas Poderskis for environment minister and Mindaugas Jablonskis for energy minister, saying he had not received assurances that defending the public interest would be their top priority.
Following that decision, Žemaitaitis declared that the coalition agreement was no longer valid. He warned that a second rejection would cement the breakdown.
“We would lose control of these ministries, and then automatically there is no basis to vote for the government’s program,” he said.
So far, Nausėda has approved 12 of 14 cabinet ministers.
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