Lithuanian prime minister expected to submit resignation tomorrow

Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Ruginienė will likely submit her resignation on Wednesday, according to Remigijus Žemaitaitis, leader of the recently expelled *Nemuno aušra* party, **LRT** reports.

Žemaitaitis stated that Ruginienė “has no chance” of remaining in office following the change in leadership of her party, the Social Democrats. “Naturally, the party leader wants to—and will—take over the top positions,” he told reporters, adding that the entire cabinet would step down. A caretaker government would then serve for 14 days until a new prime minister is appointed, with a fully operational cabinet expected by early July.

The claim comes despite no resignation item appearing on the agenda for Wednesday’s cabinet meeting. Žemaitaitis also mocked the idea of his party members defecting to the Social Democrats, calling it “ridiculous” given the latter’s declining electoral support.

He denied that *Nemuno aušra* had violated coalition agreements, demanding the Social Democrats specify which terms were breached. “I’m waiting for them to present their government programme so I can compare it with ours,” he said.

Žemaitaitis admitted receiving criticism from his own faction for joining the coalition last August, with members now arguing they had warned of its instability. “Didn’t we tell you in January that it was time to abandon this sinking ship?” he quoted them as saying.

The politician also accused Germany of interfering in Lithuania’s domestic politics after a German deputy foreign minister welcomed the Social Democrats’ decision to exclude *Nemuno aušra*, which he called “far-right populists.” Žemaitaitis called the remarks “shocking” and demanded an agent law to counter foreign influence, claiming Berlin treats Lithuania “like a colony.” He contrasted this with his own recent meeting with Hungarian officials, insisting he had never interfered in Hungary’s affairs.