Lithuania’s Social Democratic Party announced Saturday that it was pulling the plug on the current coalition. Here’s what you should know.
Why did the coalition collapse?
All fingers are pointing at the populist Nemunas Dawn party in government. The cited reason in the divorce letter seen by reporters was the failure to back the new military training grounds in Kapčiamiestis (despite assurances that they would).The emphasis also fell on the destructive work of the Nemunas Dawn leader, Remigijus Žemaitaitis. Despite already being convicted of antisemitism, he continued to make inflammatory public statements and racked up more law enforcement investigations, including over claims that Lithuania’s independence from the USSR was a coup.
Meanwhile, the social democrats said they had hoped the populists would become more civic-minded and moderate their behaviour – a hope that ultimately proved misplaced.
The ratings could also be an obvious factor, with social democrats faring poorly in recent polls. With the municipal elections due next year, some political observers fear Nemunas Dawn could wreak havoc on the social democrats, especially in the rural regions.What’s left quiet in this whole affair is the corruption allegations and potential links with Belarusian and Russian figures, as well as organised crime, in the Nemunas Dawn party.Who will be in the coalition now?The social democrats said they will launch talks with Democrats For Lithuania, with the other minority partner, the Farmers and Greens and Christian Families Alliance parliamentary group, staying in the fray.
