Lithuanian parliament awards Alexander Stulginskis Star to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz

The Lithuanian Seimas has voted to award the Alexander Stulginskis Star, the parliament’s highest honour, to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in recognition of his contributions to Lithuania’s security and European unity, LRT reports.

In a session on Tuesday, 78 lawmakers voted in favour of the decision, with one abstention and no opposition. The award will be formally presented during the parliament’s closest session to May 15—the anniversary of Lithuania’s 1920 declaration of statehood.

Vytautas Jucius, chair of the Seimas commission overseeing the award, stated that the honour reflects “sincere gratitude and appreciation for Merz’s immense efforts and achievements, as well as his firm stance in defending the freedom of Lithuania and all of Europe.” He described the award as a symbolic gesture of thanks for Germany’s historical commitment to Lithuania’s independence.

Jucius also highlighted Merz’s role in strengthening statehood, parliamentary democracy, and European unity. A lawyer by profession, Merz has served as Germany’s chancellor since May 2025, previously holding seats in the European Parliament and the Bundestag.

Last December, a commemorative plaque bearing Merz’s words—“Lithuania’s security is our security. The defence of Vilnius is the defence of Berlin”—was unveiled at Vilnius Town Hall. The statement was originally made during the inauguration of a German armed brigade in Lithuania on May 22, part of Berlin’s plan to station 4,000–5,000 troops in the country by late 2027. Infrastructure preparations are underway at the Rūdninkai military base to support the deployment.

Germany remains one of Lithuania’s key partners in security and defence. Established in 2020, the Alexander Stulginskis Star honours individuals for their contributions to parliamentary democracy, statehood, and democratic ideals. The award is named after Aleksandras Stulginskis, the first speaker of Lithuania’s constituent assembly and a former president.

Previous recipients include EU parliamentarian and signatory of Lithuania’s 1990 independence act Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, former Seimas speakers Česlovas Juršėnas and Irena Degutienė, US Senator Richard Durbin, former President Valdas Adamkus, Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, dissident and nun Nijolė Sadūnaitė (posthumously), and Moldovan academic Valeriu Matei.