Ideological classifications of the party differ. On social issues, Dawn of Nemunas has often been described as right-wing,[24] while on economic issues it has often been described as centre-left.[13] The party characterises itself as centre-left.[25][26]
History
Background
In May 2023, Remigijus Žemaitaitis published antisemitic comments on Facebook, in which he claimed that “the Jews and Russians” oppressed ethnic Lithuanians during the Second World War and were responsible for the 1944 massacre of the village of Pirčiupiai.[27][28] The comments were received with harsh criticism and condemnation from Lithuanian politicians, the Lithuanian Jewish community and numerous ambassadors to Lithuania. Žemaitaitis later claimed that his comments were targeted towards Israel and claimed that he would support a death sentence for Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions against Palestinians. The office of the Prosecutor General launched an ongoing investigation to Žemaitaitis' actions.[29] On 19 May 2023 Freedom and Justice terminated Žemaitaitis's membership in the party, and Artūras Paulauskas became the party's interim chairman.[30]
Foundation
On 11 November 2023, Remigijus Žemaitaitis announced the creation of a political party under the name Dawn of Nemunas, named after the country’s largest river and the country’s first newspaper Aušra, major symbol of the 19th century Lithuanian National Revival.[31][32] He also said that his party plans to take part in all elections held in 2024 and nominate its own presidential candidate. Earlier, Žemaitaitis said that he had gathered 3,164 people to create the party, of which 2,950 participated at the founding convention.[32] He also claimed that most of the Freedom and Justice faction have joined the new political force.[32]
The party was registered on 16 January 2024. The party had 2,296 inaugural members during the registration.[33] Around that time, Lithuanian Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė asked the parliament to strip Žemaitaitis of his legal immunity, stating that the pre-trial investigation suggests that Žemaitaitis “publicly ridiculed, expressed contempt for, and incited hatred against a group of people of Jewish nationality”,[34] after which the politician announced bid for presidency as the candidate of Dawn of Nemunas. He resigned from Seimas on 2 May, after the Constitutional Court of Lithuania ruled towards his impeachment.[35] Žemaitaitis finished in fourth place in the presidential election, receiving 9.21% of the vote in the first round held on 12 May.[36]
In July 2024, polls showed that about 36.5% of voters would consider voting for the party. Supporters of the Labour Party, Lithuanian Regions Party and Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union were most likely to view Žemaitaitis favorably. Žemaitaitis was also viewed favorably by a large percentage of voters from centre-left parties and around a fifth of Liberals' Movement voters, while supporters of the centre-right Homeland Union were least likely to support him.[38] In August, the party's polling surpassed 10%, overtaking the ruling Homeland Union.[39]
The election was held in two rounds on 13 and 27 October 2024. Dawn of Nemunas came in third place overall in the election, receiving about 15% of the vote and securing 20 seats in parliament.[42] On 7 November, the Social Democrats backtracked from their earlier position, and invited Dawn of Nemunas, along with the Union of Democrats "For Lithuania" (DSVL) political party, to form a ruling coalition.[43][44]
Both Remigijus Žemaitaitis and presumptive Prime Minister (LSDP deputy chair) Gintautas Paluckas claimed that the foreign outcry had been instigated by their political opponents.[53][54] Paluckas also stated that Žemaitaitis would not hold a cabinet position.[55] Žemaitaitis sent a letter to the ambassadors of NATO and EU countries, as well as Israel, explaining his stance that he was not anti-Semitic and had only meant to criticize Israel's actions against Palestinians.[56] In the letter he also mentioned that he had met with the Jewish community of Kaunas during the campaign to express solidarity. The coalition agreement signed by LSDP, DSVL, and Dawn of Nemunas included a clause about combating anti-Semitism.[57]
Despite these assurances, protests against Dawn of Nemunas were held in Vilnius on 14 November, the day of the first session of the Fourteenth Seimas, and on 21 November, the date Gintautas Paluckas was confirmed as the new PM.[58][59] During the second protest, Paluckas made an appearance and tried to dispel concerns about the coalition, but the protesters shouted "shame" at him.[59]
Dawn of Nemunas describes itself as a centre-left,[25][26]classical liberal, and Christian party.[63] The party's leader, Remigijus Žemaitaitis, proposed forming a "centre-left" coalition without the Homeland Union.[64][65] According to Žemaitaitis, the party leans "centre-left on social issues related to people’s wellbeing", but is "on the right when it comes to what makes statehood – our language, culture and national identity".[17]
The party has been described as populist.[67] According to political scientist Virgis Valentinavičius, Žemaitaitis deliberately invokes common antisemitic tropes such as "Jewish parasites" to attract poorly educated voters.[16]Europe Elects describes the party as right-wing.[10] In November 2023, shortly after the party was founded, Delfi described it as centre-right.[23] The party was described in 2024 by political scientist Vladimiras Laučius as nationalist,[8] by Deutsche Welle as right-wing nationalist,[7] and by bne Intellinews as radical right.[17] The party has also been described as centre-left,[13] or as combining economically left-wing and socially right-wing policies.[68][69] Linas Kojala, director of the Eastern Europe Studies Centre think tank, said "it's very hard to describe what kind of ideology they represent and where they stand on the scale of left to right."[70]
Economically, the party holds some left-wing positions.[71] It supports the establishment of a state-owned bank and a road fund, granting tax breaks to large families, and taking state control of the shares of state-owned energy holding company Ignitis. Conversely, it rejects the European Union’s "green" agricultural programs and supports concessions for small and medium-sized businesses.[72] It supports halting reforms in education for four years and auditing the reorganization of the network of schools and health care institutions. Dawn of Nemunas' program states that Lithuania’s foreign policy must first serve Lithuania's own security and the interests of its citizens. The party does not directly reject aid for Ukraine, although Žemaitaitis has said that Lithuania should be able to trade with Russia if other Western nations do.[72] It pledges to not raise value added taxes to finance national defense.[37]
Skačkauskas, Mindaugas; Kanapka, Giedrius (31 October 2024). 2024 m. spalio 13 d. ir spalio 27 d. Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo rinkimų rezultatų apžvalga (Report) (in Lithuanian). Information and Communication Department of the Seimas Secretariat. Retrieved 25 November 2024. 6 lentelė. Politinių partijų (kandidatų sąrašų) pavadinimų sutrumpinimai:[...]Politinė partija „Nemuno Aušra" PPNA" "mažiausiai viena vieta Seime kainavo PPNA – 11,9 tūkst. eurų
Mietelski, Maurycy (11 October 2024). "Populista zadecyduje o litewskim rządzie". Portal Spraw Zagranicznych (in Polish). „Świt Niemna" (NA) według sondaży może liczyć na trzecie miejsce, ciesząc się poparciem między 11 a 16 proc. (…) NA jest partią centrolewicową w kwestiach ekonomicznych oraz prawicową aksjologicznie, a więc kładącą nacisk na wzmacnianie litewskiej tożsamości i kultury narodowej. [‘Dawn of Nemunas’ (NA), according to polls, can count on third place, enjoying support between 11 and 16 per cent. (…) NA is a centre-left party on economic issues and right-wing axiologically, i.e. emphasising the strengthening of Lithuanian national identity and culture.]
"Socialdemócratas lideran el recuento en Lituania con ascenso de partido populista". SWI swissinfo (in Spanish). Riga. 13 October 2024. El Partido Socialdemócrata (LSDP) encabeza el recuento de las elecciones generales que se celebraron este domingo en Lituania, las primeras desde la invasión rusa de Ucrania y en las que destaca el ascenso de un nuevo partido populista de izquierda, Nuevo Amanecer, considerado prorruso por algunos observadores. [The Social Democratic Party (LSDP) is leading the count in Lithuania's general election on Sunday, the first since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which saw the rise of a new left-wing populist party, Nemunas' Dawn, considered by some observers to be pro-Russian.]
"Los socialdemócratas lideran el recuento de las elecciones en Lituania, con ascenso de un nuevo partido populista". RTVE (in Spanish). 13 October 2024. El Partido Socialdemócrata (LSDP) encabeza el recuento de las elecciones generales que se han celebrado este domingo en Lituania, las primeras desde la invasión rusa de Ucrania, en las que destaca el ascenso de un nuevo partido populista de izquierda, Nuevo Amanecer, considerado prorruso por algunos observadores. [The Social Democratic Party (LSDP) is leading the count in Lithuania's general election, the first since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which saw the rise of a new left-wing populist party, Nemunas' Dawn, considered by some observers to be pro-Russian.]
^ abSharp, Alexandra (11 October 2024). "Beirut Suffers Deadliest Israeli Attack This Year". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 12 October 2024. However, both main parties have ruled out any alliance that includes the populist Nemunas Dawn, which is polling at 12 percent and whose leader has been accused of promoting antisemitism.
^ ab"Žemaitaitis pateikė dokumentus partijos "Nemuno aušra" steigimui". Delfi (in Lithuanian). 22 November 2023. Kaip Eltai teigė R. Žemaitaitis, naujasis darinys ketina dalyvauti visuose 2024 m. vyksiančiuose rinkimuose. Į juos, akcentavo politikas, centro dešinei priklausanti jėga eis raginimais atsigręžti į Lietuvos regionus.
^ ab"Remigijus Žemaitaitis pareiškė, kas pasikeistų jį išrinkus: "Šimonytė Vyriausybėje nebedirbtų"". TV3 naujienos (in Lithuanian). 5 August 2024. Kitas dalykas – kai rudenį vyks Seimo rinkimai, man labai svarbu, kad „Nemuno aušra", kairioji politinė grupė, galėtų formuoti valdančiąją daugumą. [Another thing is that when the Seimas elections take place in the autumn, it is very important for me that „Nemuno aušra“, a leftist political group, is able to form a ruling majority.]
^"LAISVAS ŽMOGUS – ATVIRA VISUOMENĖ – STIPRI VALSTYBĖ". nemunoausra.online (in Lithuanian). Dawn of Nemunas. Nemuno aušra savo politinę veiklą grindžia liberalizmo principais, kylančiais iš klasikinės ir Naujųjų laikų politinės filosofijos tradicijos bei krikščioniškoje kultūroje susiformavusios asmens ir bendrojo gėrio sampratos. Individo laisvė mums yra pagrindinė vertybė. Tik laisvas žmogus gali būti visavertis visuomenės narys. Tačiau būtina šios laisvės sąlyga – asmens atsakomybė, atsakomybė bendruomenei, savo šaliai.
^"Litauen biegt sanft nach links ab, bleibt der Ukraine aber treu". Der Standard (in German). 15 October 2024. Die nach dem litauischen Namen des Flusses Memel benannte Gruppierung, deren Chef Remigijus Žemaitaitis mehrfach durch revisionistische und wüst antisemitische Aussagen aufgefallen ist, verbindet Elemente linker Wirtschaftspolitik mit einem sonst rechtspopulistischen Programm. [The party, named after the Lithuanian name for the river Memel, whose leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis has repeatedly attracted attention with revisionist and wildly anti-Semitic statements, combines elements of left-wing economic policy with a right-wing populist programme.]
^Mietelski, Maurycy (11 October 2024). "Populista zadecyduje o litewskim rządzie". Portal Spraw Zagranicznych (in Polish). „Świt Niemna" (NA) według sondaży może liczyć na trzecie miejsce, ciesząc się poparciem między 11 a 16 proc. (…) NA jest partią centrolewicową w kwestiach ekonomicznych oraz prawicową aksjologicznie, a więc kładącą nacisk na wzmacnianie litewskiej tożsamości i kultury narodowej. [‘Dawn of Nemunas’ (NA), according to polls, can count on third place, enjoying support between 11 and 16 per cent. (…) NA is a centre-left party on economic issues and right-wing axiologically, i.e. emphasising the strengthening of Lithuanian national identity and culture.]
^Eggert, Konstantin (12 October 2024). "Kreml-Propaganda bei den Wahlen in Litauen?". Deutsche Welle (in German). Ihr Programm gibt sich vielseitig. Einerseits vertritt sie linke Positionen wie Steuervorteile für kinderreiche Familien, die Schaffung einer mächtigen Staatsbank sowie Preisregulierungen bei Strom und Gas.