Following the parliamentary elections in October, the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) signed a coalition agreement on Monday with Democrats for Lithuania and the Nemunas Dawn, a party known for its antisemitic rhetoric. The decision to include Nemunas Dawn in the coalition has faced criticism in Lithuania and the EU.
Virginijus Sinkevičius, an MP-elect and current MEP from Democrats for Lithuania, which is part of the Greens group in the European Parliament, has decided to resign from his MP seat to remain in Brussels. Sinkevičius has served as Minister of Economy in previous governments and was appointed European Commissioner for 2019-2024, becoming the youngest-ever European Commissioner at 28.
Sinkevičius stated that including Nemunas Dawn in the ruling coalition influenced part of his decision. “I informed the Central Electoral Commission on Friday that I am resigning,” he told the news agency ELTA on Monday. “I believe I had a different vision for the ruling coalition, which ultimately influenced my final decision,” he added.
Remigijus Žemaitaitis, the leader of Nemunas Dawn, is currently on trial for allegedly making antisemitic statements. Saulius Skvernelis, the leader of Democrats for Lithuania, commented to ELTA that Sinkevičius’ resignation was linked to the allocation of Cabinet roles as his party didn’t obtain the foreign minister’s portfolio.
