Lithuania's victorious Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (LSDP) under Gintautas Paluckas has tentatively agreed to form a coalition with the radical right-wing Nemunas Ausra (The Dawn of the River Neman) headed by Remigijus Zemaitaitis, as well as the centre-left Democratic Union Vardan Lietuvos (For Lithuania) led by former Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis.
However, it remains to be seen if President Gitanas Nauseda will nod to a coalition including The Dawn party. Previously, he said he would not sign off such a coalition. In April, Lithuania’s constitutional court ruled that Zemaitaitis violated his MP's oath of office and the constitution by making anti-semitic remarks.
In past social media posts, Zemaitaitis suggested that “Jews and Russians” oppressed ethnic Lithuanians during World War II and were responsible for the 1944 massacre of the village of Picčiupiai—a crime actually committed by German SS troops. In May 2024, he shared a news story on Facebook about a Palestinian school demolished by Israel in the West Bank, adding that such actions "increase anger and hatred towards Jews and their nation", accompanied by an anti-Semitic rhyme, LRT.lt reported.
Following the constitutional court ruling, Zemaitaitis criticised the parliament (Seimas) impeachment commission, dismissing the accusations as unfounded.
On November 8, Roderich Kiesewetter, a Christian Democratic Union member of the German Bundestag, expressed concern about the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party's decision to include Zemaitaitis and his party in the coalition, citing potential harm to the country’s reputation, LRT.lt and delfi.lt said.
Also on November 8, U.S. Senate Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ben Cardin condemned the decision, warning that it contradicts the democratic values uniting the two nations.
In a statement on the Senate committee’s website, Senator Cardin remarked, "Lithuania is a close ally of the United States and a vital partner in promoting democratic values. However, the Social Democrats' coalition with 'Nemunas Aušra' – whose leader has been accused of inciting hatred against Jews –undermines the shared values at the core of our alliance,” LRT.lt and delfi.lt said.
Once the government is formed, the LSDP could also find itself in hot water with the Party of European Socialists (PES), the umbrella group for Europe's social democratic parties, which is likely to look askance at a member party partnering with a party with such views.
On November 9, Zemaitaitis took to Facebook, posting a message in English to defend himself: "Today, I am reading the reactions of foreign senators and other politicians regarding the alleged anti-semitism of my party Nemuno Ausra (Nemunas Dawn), and myself personally. I am convinced that the political opponents who stirred these reactions did not provide the people reacting with the Nemuno Ausra (Nemunas Dawn) programme, nor with the facts that I have only criticised Israel’s actions in Palestine, actions that, by the way, are criticised by many political leaders worldwide,” the post reads.
Initially, the Social Democrats held consultations with four parties: the Democratic Union For Lithuania, the Union of Lithuanian Peasants and Greens (LFGU), The Dawn of the River Neman and the Liberal Movement. The Liberal Movement withdrew after initial discussions, citing programmatic incompatibilities, while For Lithuania refused to work in a coalition including the LFGU.
According to the coalition agreement, the LSDP’s Paluckas will assume the role of prime minister, while the Seimas speaker position will be filled by Saulius Skvernelis, delfi.lt, Lithuania’s leading news website, reported on November 9.
In the proposed cabinet, nine ministries will be managed by Social Democrats, two by representatives from the Democratic Union For Lithuania, and three by MPs of The Dawn of the River Neman.
It is anticipated that the Social Democrats will lead nine ministries: finance, national defence, foreign affairs, communications, social security and labor, culture, education, science and sports, health protection, and interior affairs.
The Democratic Union For Lithuania will oversee two ministries: economy and innovation and energy. The Dawn of the River Neman will manage justice, environment, and agriculture ministries.
The coalition agreement has been finalised, though it is scheduled to be officially signed on November 11. Among the Social Democrats, 105 council members voted in favour of the coalition, seven opposed it, and 17 abstained. The coalition agreement was also supported by the two other parties.
The coalition agreement emphasises defence and defence funding as a primary priority. Unconditional support for Ukraine is also a key point in the agreement.
"We will ensure defence funding that reflects military requirements," the coalition agreement states. "We will work with Nato partners to bolster collective defence capabilities, ensuring the German brigade’s deployment with efficiency and timeliness. Our goal is for the Lithuanian national division to reach full operational capacity in cooperation with our allies. We will establish a functional global defence system, strengthen our defence industry, and provide complete support to Ukraine in both its pursuit of victory and in its post-war reconstruction. We will reinforce the transatlantic partnership,” the agreement says, LRT.lt reported.
The agreement also addresses economic and family policies, as well as other public sectors. Significant changes in healthcare and education appear likely, with plans to regulate private educational institutions to harmonise their standards with those of public institutions and halt controversial reforms.
In healthcare, it is proposed to halt the gradual privatisation of health services and increase state contributions to the mandatory health insurance fund, particularly for state-insured individuals, addressing a long-standing issue.