Lithuanian social democrats delay coalition decision as opposition mocks indecision

The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) will again postpone a decision on its coalition future at a party council meeting this Saturday, drawing sharp criticism from opposition politicians who accuse the party of deliberate inaction, LRT reports.

Party leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius has repeatedly promised a resolution on the coalition’s composition for over a month, yet no decision has materialised. In mid-April, the party’s council pledged to address the issue but deferred to the new leadership elected in early May—Sinkevičius himself. He then vowed to clarify his position by the end of May, only to miss that deadline as well.

Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas, also a social democrat, insists the party’s stance was settled when it signed the coalition agreement: “As long as we implement all agreed decisions, everything continues as is. If any changes occur, we will announce them.”

Opposition leaders dismiss this as strategic hesitation. Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, chair of the Liberal Movement, claims Sinkevičius “lacks the courage” to act, calling the status quo “the most convenient solution” for the LSDP. “It secures them votes with minimal effort—that seems to be the priority,” she said.

Mindaugas Lingė of the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats echoed the critique, labelling the coalition a “mutual back-scratching arrangement” driven by personal interests rather than state priorities. Both opposition figures argue any shift will come only if the junior partner, the Nemuno aušra (Dawn of Nemunas) party, initiates it—likely when politically expedient for the social democrats.

Coalition partners, meanwhile, urge urgency. Aurelijus Veryga, leader of the Nemuno aušra faction, warns that prolonged uncertainty risks repeating last summer’s chaotic budget negotiations: “If changes are made, they must happen quickly so all parties can fully participate in budget drafting.” Martynas Gedvilas, another Nemuno aušra MP, lamented the “political backroom deals” undermining public trust, insisting collaboration should serve national—not partisan—interests.

Tensions flared recently when some coalition MPs, predominantly from Nemuno aušra, opposed the establishment of a military training ground in Kapčiamiestis. The episode reignited social democrat criticism of their junior partner, though no formal steps have followed.