Conservative leader Kasčiūnas defends use of far-right slogan, urges literal interpretation

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, leader of Lithuania’s conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD), has dismissed criticism over his use of a far-right slogan in a social media post, insisting it should be interpreted “exactly as written,” LRT reports.

In a Facebook post following a football match in Kaunas, Kasčiūnas shared a photo of himself holding a scarf from the Vilnius “Žalgiris” fan group “Pietų IV,” accompanied by the phrase “Good night left side”—a slogan commonly associated with far-right and neonazi groups. The phrase originated as a counter to the antifascist chant “Good Night White Pride.”

Kasčiūnas told BNS news agency the statement should be understood “as it is written,” framing it as a rejection of left-wing ideology. “I represent the political right, and I believe we should turn right, not left,” he said. He linked leftist politics to communism, which he described as “responsible for many crimes against humanity and our nation,” while also condemning Nazi crimes.

The post drew backlash, with critics accusing Kasčiūnas of endorsing extremist rhetoric. In response, he stated: “I agree with both ‘Good night white pride’ and ‘Good night left side.’ In other words, we need to look at the world with some common sense.”

Social Democrat MP Laurynas Šedvydas, chair of the Seimas Human Rights Committee, has referred the case to the Ethics and Procedures Commission to assess whether Kasčiūnas violated Lithuania’s code of conduct for state politicians. Kasčiūnas, who led the far-right Lithuanian National Democratic Party in the early 2000s and previously invited Germany’s far-right AfD representatives to Lithuania, has faced recurring accusations of sympathising with radical right-wing movements.