Latvia: Thousands of Latvians register support for Istanbul Convention

Over 7,700 people in Latvia have signed a public petition against withdrawing from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on violence against women and domestic violence, LSM reports. Earlier, several parties in the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, signalled that they might vote to revoke Latvia’s ratification of the human rights treaty. The Union of Greens…

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Lithuania: Dawn of Nemunas leader wants to abolish Constitutional Court

The leader of Lithuania’s far-right populist Dawn of Nemunas party, MP Remigijus Zemaitaitis, has called for abolishing the country’s Constitutional Court, ELTA reports. He insisted that the court had become a “politicised institution” and suggested that its functions be taken over by the Supreme Court instead. In 2024, the Constitutional Court ruled that Zemaitaitis had violated…

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Latvia: Parliament approves law on anti-mobility border infrastructure

The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, has approved in final reading a law on setting up anti-mobility infrastructure along the country’s eastern border, LSM reports. Altogether 75 MPs voted in favour and 12 against the law. Latvia will build anti-tank ditches, obstacles, storage facilities, and other technical solutions over an area of around 2,000 hectares in…

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Lithuania: New culture minister refuses to resign amid protests

Lithuania’s newly-appointed Culture Minister, Ignotas Adomavicius, has refused to resign despite mass protests across the country against his appointment, BNS reports. Adomavicius is a member of the far-right Dawn of Nemunas party. Cultural workers have held protests in several cities, insisting that Adomavicius is unfit to head the Ministry of Culture as he has no…

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Lithuania: Three candidates running to lead Liberal Movement

Three politicians in Lithuania are running to lead the opposition Lithuanian Liberal Movement (LLS), BNS reports. The candidates are the party’s current chairperson, MP Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, who has led the party since 2019, MP and former culture minister Simonas Kairys, and Plunge mayor Audrius Klisonis. LLS will elect its chair for a two-year term through…

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