VILNIUS — In an effort to shore up the coalition’s stability in the Seimas, the Lithuanian Peasant Popular Union has been invited to join the ruling majority.

Though the party only controls three seats out of 141 in the parliament, the government needs extra support because it only holds a one-seat majority that looks increasingly shaky. In return for support of the [private_supervisor]ruling coalition, which is headed by Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius’s Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Peasant Popular Union has tendered a list of 15 demands, including tax cuts and government aid for farmers in line with the party’s agrarian stance as well as small business tax relief and more funds for municipalities and hospitals.

Even though it would not be a complete integration between the party and the coalition, there are 15 demands that the Peasant’s Union have tendered for consideration.

Jūratė Novagrockienė, an associate professor of politics at Vilnius University, told Baltic Reports the coalition will be unlikely to meet the demands.

“I think it’s possible to fulfill and implement some of them, but because it is a package of policy, the coalition needs time to solve problems and issues that the peasant party raise and of course it is difficult,” Novagrockienė said. “But it is good and useful partner because in complicated situations, it can help. The coalition has just 71 votes and sometimes its not enough to get things done.”

In terms of political reshuffling, the changes would be minimal.

“This wont be a real integration because the Peasant Popular Union just suggested the support if the coalition if would follow their requirements. They aren’t asking for a minister’s position, but they promise not to vote in votes of no confidence,” Novogrodkienė said.

Will the government last?

Recently the coalition has become unstable with one faction, the National Resurrection Party, splitting into two and joining with other parties and the Liberal and Center Union has threatened to quit the partnership. Smaller coalition members are becoming more demanding, realizing their power in the ruling majority.

“National Resurrection Party and the Liberal and Center Union are not the most reliable partners and they can retreat from the governing coalition. It is even bigger probability that the single members will decide to join the other fractions,” Kęstutis Girnius, a political analyst and professor at Vilnius University, wrote in a column last week for the alfa.lt news portal.

Any changes in allegiance would render the coalition broken because of its razor-thin 1 seat majority.

“I do believe that the government will survive, but I am not sure about this. No guarantees exist in the politics,” Girnius said. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]ruling coalition, which is headed by Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius’s Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Peasant Popular Union has tendered a list of 15 demands, including tax cuts and government aid for farmers in line with the party’s agrarian stance as well as small business tax relief and more funds for municipalities and hospitals.

Even though it would not be a complete integration between the party and the coalition, there are 15 demands that the Peasant’s Union have tendered for consideration.

Jūratė Novagrockienė, an associate professor of politics at Vilnius University, told Baltic Reports the coalition will be unlikely to meet the demands.

“I think it’s possible to fulfill and implement some of them, but because it is a package of policy, the coalition needs time to solve problems and issues that the peasant party raise and of course it is difficult,” Novagrockienė said. “But it is good and useful partner because in complicated situations, it can help. The coalition has just 71 votes and sometimes its not enough to get things done.”

In terms of political reshuffling, the changes would be minimal.

“This wont be a real integration because the Peasant Popular Union just suggested the support if the coalition if would follow their requirements. They aren’t asking for a minister’s position, but they promise not to vote in votes of no confidence,” Novogrodkienė said.

Will the government last?

Recently the coalition has become unstable with one faction, the National Resurrection Party, splitting into two and joining with other parties and the Liberal and Center Union has threatened to quit the partnership. Smaller coalition members are becoming more demanding, realizing their power in the ruling majority.

“National Resurrection Party and the Liberal and Center Union are not the most reliable partners and they can retreat from the governing coalition. It is even bigger probability that the single members will decide to join the other fractions,” Kęstutis Girnius, a political analyst and professor at Vilnius University, wrote in a column last week for the alfa.lt news portal.

Any changes in allegiance would render the coalition broken because of its razor-thin 1 seat majority.

“I do believe that the government will survive, but I am not sure about this. No guarantees exist in the politics,” Girnius said.[/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]ruling coalition, which is headed by Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius’s Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Peasant Popular Union has tendered a list of 15 demands, including tax cuts and government aid for farmers in line with the party’s agrarian stance as well as small business tax relief and more funds for municipalities and hospitals.

Even though it would not be a complete integration between the party and the coalition, there are 15 demands that the Peasant’s Union have tendered for consideration.

Jūratė Novagrockienė, an associate professor of politics at Vilnius University, told Baltic Reports the coalition will be unlikely to meet the demands.

“I think it’s possible to fulfill and implement some of them, but because it is a package of policy, the coalition needs time to solve problems and issues that the peasant party raise and of course it is difficult,” Novagrockienė said. “But it is good and useful partner because in complicated situations, it can help. The coalition has just 71 votes and sometimes its not enough to get things done.”

In terms of political reshuffling, the changes would be minimal.

“This wont be a real integration because the Peasant Popular Union just suggested the support if the coalition if would follow their requirements. They aren’t asking for a minister’s position, but they promise not to vote in votes of no confidence,” Novogrodkienė said.

Will the government last?

Recently the coalition has become unstable with one faction, the National Resurrection Party, splitting into two and joining with other parties and the Liberal and Center Union has threatened to quit the partnership. Smaller coalition members are becoming more demanding, realizing their power in the ruling majority.

“National Resurrection Party and the Liberal and Center Union are not the most reliable partners and they can retreat from the governing coalition. It is even bigger probability that the single members will decide to join the other fractions,” Kęstutis Girnius, a political analyst and professor at Vilnius University, wrote in a column last week for the alfa.lt news portal.

Any changes in allegiance would render the coalition broken because of its razor-thin 1 seat majority.

“I do believe that the government will survive, but I am not sure about this. No guarantees exist in the politics,” Girnius said.[/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]ruling coalition, which is headed by Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius’s Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Peasant Popular Union has tendered a list of 15 demands, including tax cuts and government aid for farmers in line with the party’s agrarian stance as well as small business tax relief and more funds for municipalities and hospitals.

Even though it would not be a complete integration between the party and the coalition, there are 15 demands that the Peasant’s Union have tendered for consideration.

Jūratė Novagrockienė, an associate professor of politics at Vilnius University, told Baltic Reports the coalition will be unlikely to meet the demands.

“I think it’s possible to fulfill and implement some of them, but because it is a package of policy, the coalition needs time to solve problems and issues that the peasant party raise and of course it is difficult,” Novagrockienė said. “But it is good and useful partner because in complicated situations, it can help. The coalition has just 71 votes and sometimes its not enough to get things done.”

In terms of political reshuffling, the changes would be minimal.

“This wont be a real integration because the Peasant Popular Union just suggested the support if the coalition if would follow their requirements. They aren’t asking for a minister’s position, but they promise not to vote in votes of no confidence,” Novogrodkienė said.

Will the government last?

Recently the coalition has become unstable with one faction, the National Resurrection Party, splitting into two and joining with other parties and the Liberal and Center Union has threatened to quit the partnership. Smaller coalition members are becoming more demanding, realizing their power in the ruling majority.

“National Resurrection Party and the Liberal and Center Union are not the most reliable partners and they can retreat from the governing coalition. It is even bigger probability that the single members will decide to join the other fractions,” Kęstutis Girnius, a political analyst and professor at Vilnius University, wrote in a column last week for the alfa.lt news portal.

Any changes in allegiance would render the coalition broken because of its razor-thin 1 seat majority.

“I do believe that the government will survive, but I am not sure about this. No guarantees exist in the politics,” Girnius said.[/private_subscription 1 year]

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