Lithuania's potential shift towards a minority government, according to Zemaitaitis.
In the wake of Gintautas Paluckas' resignation, Inga Ruginienė, the current Minister of Social Security and Labour, has been nominated as the new prime minister candidate in Lithuania. Ruginienė, backed by the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP), is tasked with forming a revised coalition government, but faces internal disagreements and external pressures, particularly from Nemunas Dawn.
The existing three-party coalition, which holds 86 seats in the Lithuanian parliament, includes the LSDP, Nemunas Dawn, and the Democratic Union "For Lithuania". However, the latter has declared it can no longer cooperate with Nemunas Dawn, indicating tensions within the coalition.
Remigijus Zemaitaitis, leader of Nemunas Dawn, has expressed concern about the potential emergence of a minority government and possible ulterior motives behind the current political situation. He stated that his party will not join a coalition led by someone who plans to block audits of Lithuania's public broadcaster (LRT) or Ignitis Grupe, a state-controlled energy group, or who opposes making public the names of former secret KGB agents.
Zemaitaitis also claimed that certain businesspeople and lawyers were behind Paluckas' downfall, but did not name any of them. He believes that Paluckas should not have resigned at this point and has not excluded the possibility of a minority government.
The Democrats have not ruled out demanding changes to the coalition's makeup as well. Negotiations are underway on the EU's next financial framework, and the current state budget for next year is already being worked on. New tariffs are being introduced with the United States.
Despite the current uncertainty, Zemaitaitis expects the Social Democrats to nominate someone who will continue Paluckas' work. However, specific details on Ruginienė’s plans for addressing Nemunas Dawn’s demands or resolving issues in public procurement and audits are not publicly detailed yet. The coalition's stability appears disrupted by internal disagreements and a financial scandal linked to Paluckas' circle.
The Financial Crimes Surveillance Authority arrested associates linked to Paluckas in a corruption investigation, which contributed to government dissolution; no charges have been filed against Paluckas himself. The decision of Nemunas Dawn to remain in the coalition will depend on the Social Democrats' choice for a new prime minister and their commitment to the current government's agenda.
As the political landscape in Lithuania continues to evolve, Ruginienė faces a challenging task in forming a stable and effective government. The Nemunas Dawn board is currently in discussion about the situation but has not made any decisions yet, indicating a period of uncertainty ahead.
[1] "Lithuania's coalition government: who's who?" (Baltic Times, 2025) [2] "Inga Ruginienė nominated as Lithuania's prime minister" (Baltic News Network, 2025) [3] "President Gitanas Nausėda appoints Inga Ruginienė as Lithuania's prime minister" (President's Office, 2025) [4] "Lithuania's new prime minister faces challenges in forming coalition amidst political tensions" (Baltic News Network, 2025)
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