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Lithuania

November 18th - November 24th, 2024 | Week 64 | Month 15

Lithuania Weekly: Kremlin Media Shifts Focus to Criticizing the Country’s Leadership

The "10 Minutes of Silence" protest on November 14 gathered approximately 5,000 people outside the Lithuanian parliament to oppose the inclusion of the “Nemuno Aušra” party in the governing coalition, led by Remigijus Žemaitaitis, who is on trial for alleged antisemitic remarks. Critics, including President Gitanas Nausėda, have condemned the coalition as harmful to democratic values and human rights. Meanwhile, Kremlin-aligned media exploited the protests to amplify anti-Western narratives, portraying Lithuania as unstable and corrupt while aiming to erode trust in democratic institutions and support for Ukraine.

by Urtė Andriukaitytė
Final Parliament Session
Main channels: Kremlin-aligned media outlets, Youtube, Facebook

10

Main narratives:

  • General anti-government sentiments;
  • Support for Ukraine is ineffective;
  • The incompetence of the government;
  • Anti-support for Ukraine,
  • Discrediting Ukraine and its effort to win the war.

Overview:

Over the past week, Kremlin-aligned media in Lithuania gradually shifted away from the intense focus on the new coalition and the silent protests against “Nemuno Aušra” joining it. While these topics were still actively mentioned, they no longer dominated the narrative. Instead, the media broadened their coverage to include a wide variety of issues, though much of it remained critical of Lithuania’s political leadership.

The outgoing government was a primary target, with narratives highlighting what was portrayed as its failures and poor policy decisions. These criticisms were often linked to claims about the country’s steadily worsening living conditions, emphasizing rising costs, economic instability, and diminishing quality of life. Such stories aimed to underscore dissatisfaction with both current and previous administrations.

Furthermore, Kremlin-aligned outlets continued to escalate rhetoric around Lithuania’s support for Ukraine. They framed the assistance as excessive, unjustified, and detrimental to Lithuania’s citizens, painting it as an unnecessary burden at a time when the country allegedly faces mounting domestic challenges. These discussions sought to foster resentment towards the government’s foreign policy and question its priorities, particularly in supporting Ukraine amidst its ongoing conflict.

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