Lithuanian PM Šimonytė says coalition partner’s signals are ‘very strange’

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has criticised the Social Democrats’ coalition partner, the New Unity (*Nemuno aušra*), calling recent political moves by its leader, Vilnius Mayor Mindaugas Sinkevičius, “very strange signals,” LRT Television reports.

Speaking on LRT’s *Dienos tema* programme, Šimonytė said the Social Democrats were unprepared for their 2024 election victory, which triggered a series of unstable governing arrangements. “It seems the main reason is that the Social Democrats probably did not expect to win the 2024 elections, and that big victory caught them off guard,” she said. “Since then, the house of cards has been collapsing.”

The prime minister pointed to the party’s initial choice of Vilija Blinkevičiūtė as premier—a role she later declined—as the first sign of instability. Subsequent attempts to stabilise the government, including the appointment of Ingė Ruginienė, were described by Šimonytė as “a very risky and rather reckless gamble.”

Šimonytė also questioned the timing of the Social Democrats’ decision to part ways with *Nemuno aušra*, suggesting it was driven by reputational concerns ahead of the 2027–2028 election cycle. “This coalition and the current government have damaged the Social Democrats’ reputation,” she said. “They need to take action, preferably not at the last minute.”

She dismissed claims that the split was due to ideological differences, noting that *Nemuno aušra* had long been accused of acting opportunistically. “Populists behave this way,” Šimonytė said. “There were always speculations that *Nemuno aušra* could leave the coalition and slam the door whenever it suited them.”

The prime minister also addressed recent controversy over Sinkevičius’ eligibility for ministerial posts, following a ruling by the Chief Official Ethics Commission that barred his appointment due to existing restrictions. Šimonytė argued the law in question was intended to prevent conflicts of interest within the same institution, not to block transitions between local and national government roles.