Lithuania’s Social Democrats signed a coalition government deal on Monday with the populist Dawn of Nemunas and the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, along with their controversial allies, replacing the Democrats “For Lithuania” party.
The Farmers and Greens enter the new government alongside their troublesome partners, the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania–Christian Families Alliance led by Waldemar Tomaszewski — a longtime critic of the government’s stance on Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine and the country’s ban on Russian TV channels. Along for the ride are two unaffiliated MPs: Ignas Vėgėlė, a vocal opponent of Covid vaccinations, and Rimas Jonas Jankūnas.
Under the coalition agreement the Social Democrats, the biggest party in the country’s Seimas parliament, will keep nine ministries: finance, defense, culture, social security, transport, health, education and sport, foreign affairs and interior. Dawn of Nemunas will lead three: environment, agriculture and energy. The Farmers and Greens, along with their allies, will get economy and justice.