Lithuanian party whose leader convicted of anti-Jewish hatred to stay in coalition

Ruling party says it will wait until appeal to decide future of populist Nemunas Dawn, whose head was found guilty last week of incitement against Jews, Holocaust revisionism

VILNIUS — Lithuania’s governing Social Democrats will remain in coalition for now with a populist junior partner whose leader was found guilty last week of incitement to hatred against Jews and belittling the Holocaust.

The founder of the populist Nemunas Dawn party, Remigijus Zemaitaitis, was fined 5,000 euros ($5,800) last week for a series of social media posts that a court said falsely blamed Jews for historical crimes and promoted hostility towards them.

In his posts, Zemaitaitis blamed Jews for a “Holocaust of Lithuanians” during World War Two, and quoted an old nursery rhyme with the line “take a stick, children and kill the Jew.”

Judge Nida Vigelienė said after his verdict that “Zemaitaitis chose and used language that was degrading, violated human dignity and demonstrated hatred.”

The far-right lawmaker has denied that his comments broke the law and promised to appeal.

Social Democrats chairman Mindaugas Sinkevicius said on Tuesday his party would wait until appeals are exhausted in Zemaitaitis’ case before deciding the future of the coalition.

Leader of the Lithuanian Nemuno Aušra party Remigijus Žemaitaitis speaks at a press conference after the first round of Lithuania’s parliamentary election, in Vilnius, Lithuania, October 14, 2024. (AP /Mindaugas Kulbis, File)

“The verdict is not final, it has not come into force,” said Sinkevicius.

“Even in the case of Zemaitaitis, we have to keep to the principle that until guilt is proven, until the courts have reached an unappealable decision, the accused still has means to prove his truths,” he added.

Thousands gathered at the parliament in Vilnius in November 2024 and again in August this year to protest against Nemunas Dawn’s inclusion in the government.

FILE: A demonstrator holds up a placard during a silent protest in Independence Square in front of the Parliament in Vilnius, Lithuania on November 14, 2024. (Petras Malukas/AFP)

Sinkevicius told reporters the court verdict had no impact on the government’s public approval ratings.

Žemaitaitis resigned from Lithuania’s parliament in 2024, after the country’s constitutional court ruled that he had broken his oath and violated the constitution with his statements.

But he returned in an election last year at the head of the populist Nemuno Aušra party, which went on to enter a coalition government led by the center-left Social Democrats. Zemaitaitis isn’t a member of the cabinet of Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė.