Nemuno Aušra party council to meet but no major decisions expected

The governing coalition’s Nemuno Aušra (Dawn of Nemunas) party will hold its council meeting on Saturday, though no “fundamental” decisions are planned, party leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis told reporters, as reported by LRT.

Žemaitaitis said the agenda would focus on preparations for upcoming municipal elections and reviewing the party’s work within the coalition. “The questions are about coordination—we plan to wrap up June well,” he stated. “We’re preparing for municipal elections, the campaign team is in place, and we’ll discuss work in the Agriculture and Environment ministries, as well as the performance of our ruling majority—what’s been done, where the shortcomings are, and where we need to improve.”

He reiterated that “no fundamental decisions will be made.”

The meeting follows recent internal debates over the party’s role in the coalition, reignited after some faction members voted against establishing the Kapčiamiestis military training ground. Žemaitaitis has previously dismissed concerns about potential coalition shifts.

Founded in November 2023, Nemuno Aušra holds 18 seats in the 141-member Seimas (parliament) and is part of the three-party ruling coalition alongside the Social Democrats and the Farmers and Greens Union. The current government, led by Social Democrat Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė, was formed last summer after former premier Gintautas Paluckas resigned amid media investigations into his business ties.

The party claims 35 local branches across Lithuania’s municipalities.