2024-07-09 05:08:10
Although there is no doubt that the conservatives will include Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė as the first number on the list, the head of the Government has not yet given an answer regarding her already very near political future, thus raising a number of questions for both journalists and the public.
“Why do you think that if you asked me that yesterday, today you ask me the same thing, then today I will say something different?”
As I said, when I think it’s the right time to announce it, then I will announce it to everyone at the same time”, – this is how the Prime Minister recently answered this question to media representatives.
What games do they actually play?
Is I.Šimonytė really delaying, and if so, why? As political scientist Bernard Ivanovs discussed in the “Events and comments” program of “Ziniai radio”, it seems that the conservatives are having a hard time deciding about their list, its guide, and “European affairs” recently.
“Here, it has probably become a characteristic feature to not make up your mind, to stand still,” the interviewer noted.
However, in any case, according to B. Ivanov, it is impossible to “write off” the conservatives as the hot political autumn approaches.
“It would be very naive to think that the Conservatives are stomping around or otherwise acting incoherently and indecisively because they feel defeated. No, no – their electorate is consolidated, they themselves, in any case, as the European Parliament elections show, can mobilize their electorate.
There is nothing to vote for on the right wing – there is a leadership crisis at all. Of course, in general, it can be said that the problem exists in the context of all political parties, but especially among the conservatives, since there really isn’t much to choose from,” the political scientist explained.
B. Ivanovas also reminded that Prime Minister I. Šimonytė became a part of the party not so long ago.
“By the way, there was such a guest star. Other candidates would be difficult to find, and who could be there? Mr. P. Saudragas in the European Parliament, A. Ažubalis – to the outskirts, and what is left? One more remains,” he calculated.
Jurga Tvaskienė, journalist and columnist of the LRT Research Department, thought that the conservatives are currently playing a rather ugly game.
“They create intrigue around themselves, although it is quite clear to everyone what will happen. They are simply wasting time, keeping themselves in the center of attention – I would say so,” said J. Tvaskienė.
What are the chances for L. Kasčiūnas?
However, it is not possible to say that the conservatives do not have a list of people willing to run the list, according to her.
“L. Kasčiūnas, the Minister of National Defense, said very clearly that he would consider that possibility. But yes, in Lithuania there is a crisis of political parties, what are they.
The Conservatives are a right-wing party, but within that party there are two wings, one which is quite liberal and the other which is extremely radical conservative.
If it were to happen accidentally, unexpectedly and mysteriously, that Mr. L. Kasčiūnas would stand at the head of the list, we would see the strengthening of the ultra-right, Krikdem right in this party, and it would be a new turn within the conservatives,” explained the journalist of the LRT Research Department.
According to J. Tvaskienė, it will be quite difficult for voters in the fall to decide what to vote for in the end.
“Many parties in Lithuania claim to be center-left – the same peasants, the party of S. Skvernelis, but in fact what they say and promise to the voters is quite right-wing and very strong right-wing action.
Therefore, I think it is very difficult for the voters to decide who I am for, because the parties themselves manipulate words, proposals, left and right, and a person in this case appears in the mix, where what is presented is not what is really there. – said the reviewer.
It is true that the already mentioned L. Kasčiūnas himself did not rule out the possibility of running for president of the TS-LKD party. When asked how hard the gauntlet he would throw at I. Šimonye, political scientist B. Ivanov would doubt whether such a choice would be appropriate.
“I think the party understands who Mr. L. Kasčiūnas is and what he can do. It is possible to want, but being able is not the same as wanting, and in this case, I do not think that his political weight in the party itself would allow him to gather around him the necessary group of supporters who could raise him to party heights.
Yes, he became a minister, and we can see how much joy it brings him, but a man who wants to be something so badly does not mean that he is actually worth it.
I think the party is still looking for those who could really connect those really, very difficult flanks”, said B. Ivanovas.
Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas has already been ranked at the top of the TS-LKD list. The second is the Minister of Education, Science and Sports Radvilė Morkūmnaitė-Mikulėnienė, the third is the Chairman of the Seimas Budget and Finance Committee Mindaugas Lingė.
Next on the list are ministers Gintarė Skaistė, Agnė Bilotaitė, former minister Monika Navickienė, chairwoman of the Seimas Social Affairs and Labor Committee Paulė Kuzmickienė, chairwoman of the Environment Committee Aistė Gedvilienė, members of the Seimas Audronius Ažubalis, Matas Maldeikis and others.
The leader of conservatives, Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis, as well as Prime Minister I. Šimonytė, were not ranked. It is true that G. Landsbergis has stated that he does not intend to submit the party list to the Seimas and proposes to do so to the Prime Minister.
2024-07-09 05:08:10