Government opposes legal advisor role for MPs over trust model concerns

The Lithuanian government has expressed fundamental support for improving the lawmaking process but opposes a proposal to introduce a dedicated legal advisor role for Members of Parliament (MPs), stating it conflicts with the current political trust model, LRT reports.

In a resolution adopted on Tuesday, the government argued that the existing legal framework is based on an MP’s freedom of choice and the flexibility of their political (personal) trust team, rather than on fixed professional specialisations enshrined in law. Introducing a separate MP legal advisor position would, in its view, unjustifiably narrow an MP’s discretion in forming their team and could lead to further fragmentation of roles by specialisation.

“Such legal regulation would reduce the consistency, flexibility, and systematic nature of the position system, fail to align with the current general model of an MP’s team, and create preconditions for unjustified fragmentation of this system,” the government stated.

The proposed measure was deemed neither necessary nor appropriate for achieving its stated goal. The government emphasised that the nature of a civil servant’s functions and special qualification requirements should be determined by institutional needs and tailored job descriptions, not by titles fixed in law.

It noted that where specialised legal expertise is required for an MP’s parliamentary work, this can already be ensured by setting a requirement for a university-level legal education for the advisor role and clearly defining legal functions in the job description—without amending the law.

The government also doubted whether the proposal would effectively attract higher-qualified legal specialists. Merely establishing a new specialised position in law would not change qualification application mechanisms or salary conditions, it argued. Under current regulations, the total allocated funds for these positions remain the same, meaning the proposed change would not inherently increase competitiveness in the labour market.

To genuinely improve the attraction of such specialists, the government suggested reviewing the salary conditions for these positions and allocating additional state budget funds accordingly.

The proposal, initiated by MP Laima Girskienė of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union and Christian Families Alliance faction, was approved in principle by the Seimas in May. It is now under consideration by the parliament’s Legal Affairs, State Governance, and Municipal Affairs committees, with a plenary session discussion expected in the autumn.