Liberal Movement admits failure in attracting young voters

The Liberal Movement in Lithuania is struggling to connect with young voters despite efforts to renew its leadership and policies, former party leader Eugenijus Gentvilas acknowledged in an interview with LRT.

“The party leadership is rejuvenating, but it’s happening along the lines of a 40-year-old model. We can’t find the right approach, and I have to admit that,” Gentvilas said, noting that while the party had dedicated a section of its election program to youth policy, it has failed to gain significant traction among young people.

Gentvilas pointed to the Freedom Party—a breakaway faction from the Liberals—as having initially succeeded in mobilising youth by focusing on two key issues, only to lose momentum when those promises went unfulfilled. “They burned out on those two themes, and now Vytautas Mitalas [Freedom Party leader] is trying to distance himself from them,” he said.

The Liberal Movement has attempted to lower the minimum age for parliamentary candidates to 21 and pushed for progressive policies like decriminalising minor cannabis possession, but Gentvilas admitted these measures have not resonated. “We wanted to, we tried, but we’re not succeeding,” he said. “We don’t know how to reach them.”

Gentvilas dismissed the idea that single-issue policies, such as drug decriminalisation, could alone secure youth support, arguing that broader concerns like family policy and partnerships also matter. However, he conceded that even these efforts have failed to engage younger voters effectively.

“We’re not managing it,” he repeated. “We lack the tools, the formulations, the approach. And yes, there’s also youth apathy to consider.”

The Freedom Party had briefly captured the attention of urban youth in Vilnius and other major cities, but its influence has since waned, Gentvilas observed.