Lithuanian parliament upholds Stulginskis Star Commission decisions despite procedural breach

A Lithuanian parliamentary committee has ruled that the decisions of the Aleksandro Stulginskis Star Award Commission remain legally valid, despite the body operating with one member short of its required composition, LRT reports.

The Seimas Ethics and Procedure Commission concluded on Wednesday that the commission’s meetings and rulings between September 10, 2025, and March 10, 2026—when it had only eight members instead of the nine mandated by law—do not undermine their legitimacy. The commission had proposed awarding the honour to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Liberal MP Arminas Lydeka urged colleagues to avoid politicising the issue, stating that restarting deliberations would be “unwise.” The commission itself had requested clarification on whether its work during this period was lawful, as former member Juozas Olekas, now Seimas Speaker, was not replaced by the ruling Social Democratic faction.

The Ethics Commission also confirmed that the award body had justifiably considered only two of five nominations, as the other three lacked complete documentation. The Stulginskis Star, established in 2020, honours contributions to parliamentary democracy and statehood. Previous recipients include former President Valdas Adamkus, US Senator Richard Durbin, and Ukrainian parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk.

Commission chair Vytautas Jucius had argued that awarding the star to Merz would recognise his efforts in strengthening Lithuania’s statehood, parliamentary democracy, and European unity. Merz, Chancellor since May 2025, previously served in the European Parliament and Bundestag.