Lithuanian Social Democrats divided over coalition changes ahead of key meeting

A significant portion of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) leadership sees no need to alter the current ruling coalition, despite internal debates over its future, LRT reports.

Speaking ahead of a weekend party meeting to assess the coalition’s performance, LSDP vice-chair Indrė Kižienė backed Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas’ stance that no changes are necessary. “I would stick with Juozas Olekas’ position and support his view that we should remain in the current coalition,” she told ELTA, adding that her local Ukmergė branch unanimously supported the status quo in a recent vote.

While acknowledging diverse opinions within the party, Kižienė predicted most members would favour continuity. “Based on informal discussions, the majority appear to support keeping the coalition as it is,” she said, noting that restructuring would require renegotiating government agreements and policy programmes—a process she deemed unnecessary.

Fellow vice-chair Orinta Leiputė echoed this position, stating no coalition partner had violated their 2024 agreement. “We signed a deal, and no side has broken it. I see no serious reason to change it,” she said, though she left room for reconsideration if new arguments emerge. Leiputė dismissed suggestions of a crisis but acknowledged public criticism was influencing internal discussions.

First deputy chair Robertas Duchnevičius emphasised that the final decision would hinge on party leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius’ direction. “The new leadership must evaluate our coalition work and clearly communicate the chosen path,” he said, adding that Sinkevičius’ strategy would heavily shape the outcome. While Duchnevičius remains sceptical of current coalition partners, he stressed the need for careful deliberation.

The LSDP’s weekend meeting follows months of scrutiny over the government’s performance, with regional branches reportedly split on whether to maintain or abandon the existing alliance.