Lithuania: EU parties urge to exclude Dawn of Nemunas from government

Two of the biggest groups in the European Parliament, the European People’s Party (EPP) and Renew Europe, have urged the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) and the Union of Democrats for Lithuania (DSVL) to exclude the far-right Dawn of Nemunas party from their incoming coalition government, LRT reports. EPP and Renew Europe warned that granting legitimacy to the Dawn of Nemunas, led by an “openly antisemitic leader,” would undermine Lithuania’s democratic principles and commitment to inclusivity. The statement stressed that the resurgence of antisemitism posed a “serious threat” to Jewish communities and to the diverse societies in European countries. Allowing such forces into government contradicted Europe’s “history of striving toward peace and tolerance,” EPP leader Manfred Weber and Renew Europe’s Valérie Hayer stated. Meanwhile, the Greens/European Free Alliance and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats refused to comment. Remigijus Zemaitaitis, leader of the Dawn of Nemunas, is under criminal investigation for his antisemitic statements.