Berlin Welcomes Decision to Exclude 'Far-Right Populists' from Lithuanian Government
German Deputy Foreign Minister Gunther Krichbaum praised the Social Democrats' move to drop the Nemunas Dawn party from coalition talks due to its leader's anti-Semitic remarks, noting that Germany would have found it difficult to cooperate with a government influenced by such a party.
Berlin has welcomed the decision to exclude the “far-right populist” Nemunas Dawn party from the Lithuanian government, German Deputy Foreign Minister Gunther Krichbaum told BNS in an interview published on Tuesday.
Krichbaum said that the Social Democrats’ decision last weekend to end coalition talks with Nemunas Dawn and begin negotiations with the Union of Democrats “For Lithuania” was appreciated. “We appreciate that now a government can be formed without a right-radical and right-populist party, because it was not so easy also for us in Germany sending a brigade to a country knowing that the government is influenced by a right-radical party,” Krichbaum said.
While stressing that Berlin does not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, Krichbaum noted that Germany follows developments because “we all live in one European house.” He specifically referenced Germany’s history: “Looking at our own history, we can never tolerate when anti-Semitism and propaganda against Jewish people are part of a political programme.” He added that when news emerged that Nemunas Dawn might join the government, Germany’s reactions were “very limited and reluctant.”
Nemunas Dawn leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis was convicted last year of inciting hatred against Jewish people and Holocaust denial. An appeals court is due to issue a ruling later this year. His posts and statements had previously drawn negative reactions from the German embassy in Lithuania.
Žemaitaitis, however, accused Germany of meddling in Lithuania’s domestic affairs and said that the deputy minister’s comments were “reason enough to pass a foreign agents law in Lithuania today.” He claimed Germany “imagines Lithuania is a colony” and wants to dictate who should lead.
Relations between Lithuania and Germany have intensified recently, driven by Berlin’s commitment to station a brigade in Lithuania by the end of 2027.
