Lithuania - October 2023

Parliament voted to approve electoral amendments introducing the requirement for candidates to disclose whether they were formerly members of the Communist Party (CPSU), which was banned after Lithuania regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Previously, reporting of past political affiliations via the Central Electoral Commission’s candidate questionnaire had been optional. The amendments passed with 110 votes in favour and one abstention, and follow revelations uncovered by media that President Gitanas Nausėda and at least 18 sitting MPs had formerly been members of the party without reporting this affiliation. Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė called failure to disclose previous affiliations a “mistake”, and observers noted potential adverse impacts on public trust. A parallel proposal, put forward by the conservative Homeland Union party, was rejected, and would have required candidates to declare their Communist Party membership on campaign posters.

Sources: LRT (1), LRT (2), LRT (3), Baltic News Network, 15min