Lithuanian MPs Vėgėlė and Jankūnas leave ruling Farmers and Greens coalition in parliament

Lawmakers Ignas Vėgėlė and Rimas Jonas Jankūnas announced on Tuesday they are leaving the ruling Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS) parliamentary faction, citing a growing disconnect between the coalition’s original agreements and its actual operations, LRT reports.

The two MPs stated their decision was carefully considered after observing persistent mismatches between pre-election promises and the faction’s real-world actions. Vėgėlė criticised the group for becoming “a tool of a single political party,” making it difficult to participate meaningfully in its work when key decisions were taken in bodies where he had no representation.

Jankūnas confirmed he would also exit the faction, suggesting the move followed a request from LVŽS leader Aurelijus Veryga, who had reportedly urged both MPs to leave over their plans to align with other political forces. Jankūnas speculated that Veryga played a role in framing them as undesirable within the faction but affirmed their shared stance on issues like traditional family values and national identity would remain unchanged.

Vėgėlė, a lawyer and former presidential candidate who secured 12.35% of the vote in 2024, pledged to stay true to his “conscience, values, and voters” rather than political convenience. He called for national unity over internal power struggles, stating, “Lithuania needs consolidation and joint effort today—not infighting over positions, influence, or interests.”

Both politicians plan to continue their work in the Seimas Mixed Group of non-affiliated MPs. Jankūnas, elected this year as chairman of the non-parliamentary Nation and Justice Union (centrist, nationalist), replaced MEP Petra Gražulytė in the role. Vėgėlė has previously signalled intentions to unite non-parliamentary parties ahead of future elections but has not disclosed specific plans.

The LVŽS-led faction was formed after the 2024 elections by merging the Farmers and Greens Union with the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania–Christian Families Alliance, alongside Vėgėlė and Jankūnas, who ran on the Farmers’ ticket.