Lithuanian president mentions middle finger in state address but timing was off

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda referenced a middle finger gesture in his annual state address to the Seimas (parliament) on Tuesday, but the timing was not ideal, according to political scientist Ainius Lašas.

Speaking on LRT Television’s “Dienos tema” programme, Lašas, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities at Kaunas University of Technology, noted that he had received the text of the president’s speech the evening before. The speech already included the reference, but Lašas suggested the president’s enthusiasm may have been tempered by past experiences with previous prime ministers.

Ramūnas Vilpišauskas, professor at Vilnius University’s Institute of International Relations and Political Science, added that the president’s role in government formation is traditionally consultative. However, if the ruling coalition agrees internally, the president’s criticism may be overlooked, potentially weakening his position.

Vilpišauskas also highlighted that Nausėda’s support for social democrats during the 2024 Seimas elections has complicated his current role, as his annual address—meant to rise above political strife—now carries mixed messages.

The discussion also touched on the return of Inga Ruginienė, who is expected to resume her role as Minister of Social Security and Labour. Lašas questioned whether her brief tenure as prime minister allowed her to demonstrate competence in social policy, a priority Nausėda emphasised in his address.