Лауринас Кащюнас
Conservatives in the Lithuanian Seimas have initiated amendments that would restrict the electoral rights of citizens of Russia and Belarus in municipal elections. According to the authors of the initiative, the measures are aimed at reducing potential risks to national security, LRT reports, citing ELTA.
Proposals to amend the Constitution and the Electoral Code were submitted by the leader of the parliamentary faction of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats Laurynas Kasčiūnas, MP Dalia Asanavičiūtė-Gružauskienė, and other members of the faction. If approved by the Seimas, citizens of states that do not meet the criteria of European and transatlantic integration, even if they hold permanent residence permits in Lithuania, would be barred from voting in municipal elections, standing for election to municipal councils, and making donations to participants in mayoral and local council election campaigns.
At the same time, the right to participate in local self-government elections is proposed to be retained for citizens of countries that meet these criteria. These include countries of the European Union, NATO, the European Economic Area, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The authors of the initiative do not rule out that among Russian and Belarusian citizens permanently residing in Lithuania there may be individuals who retain ideological loyalty to their countries of origin. At present, third-country nationals with permanent residence permits have both active and passive voting rights at the municipal level and are also allowed to financially support election campaign participants.
According to Dalia Asanavičiūtė-Gružauskienė, Lithuania remains the only Baltic state where citizens of third countries are allowed to vote in municipal council elections. She stressed that amid growing Russian influence, reports of election interference in Europe, and increased migration from third countries, such restrictions are necessary to protect national interests and security. The MP also noted that in 14 EU countries the right to vote in municipal elections is granted exclusively to EU citizens.
The draft amendments to the Constitution and the Electoral Code are expected to be presented during the spring session of the Seimas, which begins on March 10.