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Lithuanian Parliamentary Elections 2020: Notable Narratives

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Lithuanian Parliamentary Elections 2020: Notable Narratives This publication was supported by the National Endowment for Democracy under a project coordinated by GLOBSEC, Bratislava-based think tank. LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2020: NOTABLE NARRATIVES In preparing this review, online comments on social media and on comment sections on news portals were examined from approximately a week before to a week after the first round of parliamentary elections in Lithuania. This study also incorporated news articles from a variety of outlets over the same time period but also extending farther back to capture relevant contextual information. Five particularly dubious portals, some of them arguably outright propaganda/disinformation outlets, deemed prominent, moreover, were ins- pected. Additional sources to those mentioned above were also consulted but less extensively. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and the considerable fi- nancial difficulties that have ensued in its wake, the Lithuanian elections proceeded rather peacefully on the information front, with the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD, Conservatives) taking the largest number of seats. The TS-LKD subsequently launched coalition negotiations with two liberal parties – the Liberal Movement and the Fre- edom Party, with both of these performing above the expectations set by pre-election opinion polling. Narratives perpetuated by problematic sources continued to follow rather familiar lines of thought, geared towards portraying Lithuania as a country that is Russophobic and brainwashed by the West and/or corporate inte- LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2020: NOTABLE NARRATIVES 2 rests. Their purpose – to undermine the motion of drug and alcohol abuse to the legitimacy of the country’s democratic loss of cultural identity to the proliferati- system and the elections themselves. on of various “antitheses” to traditional Discussed in detail in the next section, culture like LGBTI rights. While these is- one Sputnik article1, in particular, featu- sues are not exactly new targets for the res a compilation of greatest hits and is various disinformation and propaganda emblematic of all the different core tal- narratives present in the public domain, king points typically employed. they gained newfound attention this election cycle on account of the Free- Beyond these central themes pinpoin- dom Party, which has been particularly ted in the Sputnik article, there are other vocal, among other items, in its advoca- issues to take note of in examining the cy of, for example, LGBTI rights6. These elections from a broader vantage point. issues, representing genuine societal This includes, for example, the matter questions in need of broader discussi- of electoral turnout. It is an unfortunate on and resolution, are often exploited fact that despite some improvements, by problematic groups to galvanize the voter turnout remains woefully low in public, typically through hyperbolised Lithuania, with 47% of eligible voters depictions. Perceptions of the LGBTI casting ballots in the first round of the community and its rights are illustra- elections and second round turnout tive in this regard, with a study from tumbling all the way down to 39% (the earlier this year finding that a sizeable most passive district posted just 29% segment of society (36%) feels that the turnout).2 This pattern could be tied LGBTI community poses a threat to to vastly negative views in society to- their identity and values.7 wards political parties3, with there being a strong sense that it does not matter It is particularly curious to note how the who is in power. The sentiment that political landscape in Lithuania appears “they are all thieves/incompetents any- to have changed rather suddenly this 4 way” is indeed rather prevalent. election cycle. The country has seen a The turnout angle also plays into other swath of veteran politicians from across “traditional” narratives like the notion the political spectrum fail in their bids that the country’s citizens have emigra- to be returned to parliament, including ted en masse, with those that remain former Prime Minister Kirkilas, incum- being either “indoctrinated” or simply bent Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas incompetent, not to mention being Linkevičius and dozens of others. It is oppressed by “leftist” elites who are notable though that many of the most selling out the country to figures like prominent figures not re-elected come George Soros.5 from parties that identify with the po- litical left. With the elections being nominally (and fully once/if coalition “Leftism” negotiations complete) won by parties identifying as right wing, in fact, the “left “Leftism” was perhaps the most pro- wing” finds itself in the opposition. minent storyline when it came to the elections, blamed for various perceived This is where the concept of “leftists”, wrongs in society, ranging from the pro- as presented by disinformation and LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2020: NOTABLE NARRATIVES 3 propaganda outlets, clashes with how edom Party being arguably more asser- the parties are arranged in reality, with tive in regards to some topics including there being very few parties that outri- LGBTI rights and the decriminalisation ght espouse solely left- or right-wing of light narcotic substances. ideological thought. The liberal parties The success of the two liberal parties (and to a lesser extent even the Conser- is indicative of the fact that disinfor- vatives) might be described as “leftists” mation and propaganda might not have by some of the more dubious commen- been able to adjust swiftly enough this tators. This approach, however, relies election cycle (plausible in light of the on merely cherry picking one aspect of fact that the usual suspects are like- their policies (primarily social and cul- ly currently focused on other matters tural policy). The majority of parties in including Khabarovsk, Belarus and Lithuania, nonetheless, operate on the COVID-19). While the propaganda and basis of hybrid models meaning that disinformation narratives8 eventually although they might be socially and/ primarily ramped up against “leftism” or morally conservative, they could be with the seeming intention of evoking fiscally liberal or vice versa. The parties a sense of dread among those opposed attracting the most support, meanwhi- to LGBTI rights and the legalisation of le, are rather centrist with some left- or cannabis, the strategy appears not to right-wing bent. Consequently, unsur- have been especially successful. Poli- prisingly, we find that the concept of tical parties that are either proponents “leftism” is rather used as an umbrella of LGBTI rights or not overly inclined term and rallying cry to evoke image- against, in fact, made significant gains ry of unbridled anarchy and hedonism in both rounds. than as a coherent argument. The new coalition, meanwhile, is taking over the reins of government in a chal- Conservative-Liberal coalition lenging climate, with a second wave of the pandemic stirring. This backdrop back for another crisis presents certain parallels to the last The government will be formed now by time the Conservatives formed a go- a coalition led by, following two terms vernment (one also previously suppor- in opposition, the Conservatives and ted by the liberals), back in 2008, ri- spearheaded by three female leaders. ght on the cusp of the global financial This includes Ingrida Šimonytė, who is crisis. During the election campaign, due to become the second female pri- there were indeed some political moves me minister of Lithuania and the first advanced to instil fear that a Conserva- since Kazimiera Prunskienė served as tive government would lead to a return prime minister following the country’s of austerity. Corresponding to memo- independence from the Soviet Union. ries of the 2008-2009 global financial Alongside the Conservatives, the coali- crisis, these spending cuts, if enacted, tion will include the Liberal Movement would presumably prove incredibly and the Freedom Party, two parties that painful and vastly unpopular across advocate for liberal values, with the Fre- the social spectrum. This talking point LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 2020: NOTABLE NARRATIVES 4 especially made use of a comment from prioritization of tasks rather than the former Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, distribution of political positions. There who led the Conservative government are, nonetheless, challenges still yet to of 2008-2012, that budgeting decisions overcome. While the Homeland Union under the incumbent coalition and the has endured criticism from conservati- pandemic could lead to a “painful han- ve pundits and politicians for a suppo- gover” and the need to tighten belts sed overly liberal turn, the party’s lea- next year.9 nings, in fact, still tilt in a conservative direction with respect to its social and This jostling may, however, have had moral agenda. This orientation stands only a limited impact given that the in contrast to the liberal parties, mean- Conservatives still managed to obtain while, with the Freedom Party pledging 50 parliamentary seats of a 141 total up that it will push for the legalisation of for grabs, a solid performance in a coun- same-sex partnerships and the decrimi- try where political parties are generally nalisation of light narcotic substances unpopular. This general lack of politi- within 100 days of the start of term. cal party popularity in Lithuania might The parties also hold different econo- have, in fact, aided the Conservatives,
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