Linas Jegelevičius
Although the new presidential election in Lithuania is still far – in May next year, the political campaign is already churning ripples and splashes. BNN spoke to various Lithuanian politicians and political life observers, asking them to say what already draws their attention in the campaign.
Until now, only two politicians have said they will vie for the presidential palace in Daukantas square in Vilnius.
Ignas Vėgėlė, a 48-year-old Lithuanian lawyer and right-wing politician who served as president of the Lithuanian Bar Association from 2014 to 2022, was the first to announce his bid. He rose to prominence during the coronavirus pandemic as a staunch anti-vaxxer.
Aurelijus Veryga, Lithuania’s former Health minister and, now, a vocal member of the opposition Farmers and Greens Union, is the other one who has already said “yes” to the race.
Dainius Žalimas, a prominent lawyer and former chairman of Lithuania’s Constitutional Court, who is also being viewed as a potential presidential race candidate by some, told BNN that the campaign is still tepid, however he already sees some “worrying signs.”
“What really disappoints and worries me
is growing hatred and animosity in the country.
I am afraid that, with not just the presidential election, but also the European Parliament and Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament – L. J.) elections held next year, the volume and forms of hatred will be just growing,” D. Žalimas emphasised.
He says he sees a lot of abundant negative information coming from what he calls “politicians in the margins”, referring to I. Vėgėlė.
“As a lawyer, he is very professional. No doubt. However, as a politician, who emerged during the (COVID 19) pandemic as a ferocious antivaxxer, he continues to feed the public with all sorts of plot theories. In my opinion, for the same purpose – to gain a bigger visibility, burnish the reputation of a tough man and firm up his foothold in the race,” he said.
Žalimas reminds that I. Vėgėlė has recently lashed out at the so-called “life skills programme”, taught from this academic year in Lithuanian secondary schools. The programme includes classes on safe traffic, emotional well-being, and sex education. The latter is the most combustible part in it.
Conservatively-minded parent organisations and politicians, however, are alarmed that children will be encouraged to have premarital sex and taught tolerance towards LGBTQ+ people.
“In my opinion, his very negative stance on the programme is representation of the Russian world narrative. As a lawyer,
he clearly understands that he speaks nonsense about it, yet he continues to do it,
appeasing to swaths of his potential electorate,” D. Žalimas emphasised.
Asked if he himself will enter the race, the prominent lawyer told BNN he cannot rule it out, but request to be “patient.”
“I will make a public statement on that sooner or later,” he said.
Vitalijus Gailius, mayor of Joniškis and a former MP, was reluctant to guess on other potential participants of the presidential race. “I think that we will hear some interesting announcements by the turn of year. Our party, the Liberal Movement, is expected to announce its candidate in December,” he said.
Dalia Štraupaitė, councilwoman of Visaginas, a town in eastern Lithuania, who served as the town’s mayor before, told BNN she is observing the presidential campaign with interest.
“Clearly, it is just running in and a lot remains to be seen yet, however, the candidates who already announced their bids are serious and respected, not some wannabes. Regardless of who will be next in the race, I think my choice will not sway – my favourite is the incumbent president, Gitanas Nauseda, who
“warmed up” Lithuania, who breathed a much better and healthier spirit in it.
He is nothing like his predecessor, Dalia Grybauskaitė, whose style was very authoritarian,” D. Štraupaitė emphasised. Enquired who could throw the gauntlet against the sitting president, the former Visaginas mayor was hesitant: “Maybe Vėgėlė, but we still do not know who the others will be.”
Neither the ruling Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (HU-LCD), nor the Social Democrats or the Liberal Movement, which is the minor coalition partner, have announced their presidential candidates so far.
The HU-LCD has just started its presidential candidate electoral process, asking its local divisions to provide lists of potential candidates.
Among the names being mentioned are Ingrida Šimonytė, the Prime Minister, Monika Navickienė, Minister of Social Security and Labour, Arvydas Anušauskas, Minister of Defence, Laurynas Kasčiūnas, chairman of the powerful parliamentary committee of National Security and Defence.
“That the ruling party
did not elect its (presidential) candidate until now shows its immaturity.
They’ve betted heavily on the youth, however, it did not turn up a successful government – we see the situation is worsening in the country. And this is something many say,” D. Štraupaitė underscored to BNN.
The Social Democrats’ leader, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, who is europarliamentarian now, said last week that the party will come up with its presidential candidate at the end of the year.
The Liberal Movement will pick its presidential candidate in its Council’s convention in December.
Vladas Gaidys, director of Vilmorus, a pollster, told BNN that an incumbent president “always” stands better chances for re-election.
“So far, the president (Gitanas Nausėda) looks pretty good. His ratings saw a dent after it his membership in the Communist Party was revealed, however his favourability surged following the NATO summit in Vilnius in July,” he said.
Several polls in spring and early summer showed that
G. Nausėda has the best chance of winning the 2024 elections.
However, he has not yet confirmed whether he will seek a second term in office.
“As the president has said many times in the past, he intends to decide on his participation in the 2024 elections by the end of this year,” the president’s office has said. Although Nausėda procrastinates his announcement, he is expected to run.
In late August, a petition appeared online calling on former President Dalia Grybauskaitė to run for the top post in Lithuania again. The petition stated that Lithuania is living in a difficult and dangerous time that requires great concentration, willpower, and determination, the qualities that Grybauskaitė exerts. However, her Office said she will not participate in the campaign.