VILNIUS — The opposition launched its offensive against the ruling coalition in the Lithuanian parliament by officially inviting two of its member factions to join them on Monday.

The coalition’s majority is hanging by a thread after rumors came out that one of its members crossed the floor from the prime minister’s party to the newly formed Christian faction, which is joining the opposition. The lost seat would mean the coalition no longer has an official majority in the [private_supervisor]parliament — it would leave the coalition with just 70 out of 141 seats. The Peasant Popular Union however is still supporting the ruling coalition with its 3 seats, despite not officially joining it.

The Liberal and Center Union and the National Resurrection party were invited by the opposition to join what they say is the “new majority force” in the Seimas.

Political analyst Kęstutis Girnius told Baltic Reports he doesn’t think the two parties would respond to the invitation.

“Not yet, I don’t think Valinskas’ people will go where their former colleagues have gone and I think the Liberal and Center Union will ride it out,” Girnius said referring to the Christian faction’s defection.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius responded to the attempt to lure away his allies as “a real bore.” Kubilius said that the opposition had run out of ideas and was playing a numbers game, one which the coalition would ignore as it worked.

The opposition pounced on what it saw as weakness in the coalition after one of its members failed to be voted in as the Seimas vice speaker. Jonas Liesis’ appointment to the position was denied after 72 parliamentarians voted against the notion. The coalition will propose the Liesis again because the vote was taken on the eve of the country’s independence celebrations and many of its members were not present in Seimas. They are expected to retry the vote this week.

Girnius said that even if the current coalition lost its majority, it wouldn’t be ready to take over the government.

“This would be a rainbow coalition but not in the way that a rainbow is nice. The new coalition would be such a disparate political mess with so many factions and views. I don’t think they themselves are ready to take over … but I wouldn’t place any bets on things happening in three or four months time,” he said. “They don’t want to take over yet because it isn’t clear with the economic recession and if there is a double dip recession, they don’t want to be stuck holding the bag.”

The opposition still officially has 53 members and is made up primarily of the Labor party, the Social Democrats and the Order and Justice Party. When the Christians join them, they will have 65 seats. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]parliament — it would leave the coalition with just 70 out of 141 seats. The Peasant Popular Union however is still supporting the ruling coalition with its 3 seats, despite not officially joining it.

The Liberal and Center Union and the National Resurrection party were invited by the opposition to join what they say is the “new majority force” in the Seimas.

Political analyst Kęstutis Girnius told Baltic Reports he doesn’t think the two parties would respond to the invitation.

“Not yet, I don’t think Valinskas’ people will go where their former colleagues have gone and I think the Liberal and Center Union will ride it out,” Girnius said referring to the Christian faction’s defection.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius responded to the attempt to lure away his allies as “a real bore.” Kubilius said that the opposition had run out of ideas and was playing a numbers game, one which the coalition would ignore as it worked.

The opposition pounced on what it saw as weakness in the coalition after one of its members failed to be voted in as the Seimas vice speaker. Jonas Liesis’ appointment to the position was denied after 72 parliamentarians voted against the notion. The coalition will propose the Liesis again because the vote was taken on the eve of the country’s independence celebrations and many of its members were not present in Seimas. They are expected to retry the vote this week.

Girnius said that even if the current coalition lost its majority, it wouldn’t be ready to take over the government.

“This would be a rainbow coalition but not in the way that a rainbow is nice. The new coalition would be such a disparate political mess with so many factions and views. I don’t think they themselves are ready to take over … but I wouldn’t place any bets on things happening in three or four months time,” he said. “They don’t want to take over yet because it isn’t clear with the economic recession and if there is a double dip recession, they don’t want to be stuck holding the bag.”

The opposition still officially has 53 members and is made up primarily of the Labor party, the Social Democrats and the Order and Justice Party. When the Christians join them, they will have 65 seats. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]parliament — it would leave the coalition with just 70 out of 141 seats. The Peasant Popular Union however is still supporting the ruling coalition with its 3 seats, despite not officially joining it.

The Liberal and Center Union and the National Resurrection party were invited by the opposition to join what they say is the “new majority force” in the Seimas.

Political analyst Kęstutis Girnius told Baltic Reports he doesn’t think the two parties would respond to the invitation.

“Not yet, I don’t think Valinskas’ people will go where their former colleagues have gone and I think the Liberal and Center Union will ride it out,” Girnius said referring to the Christian faction’s defection.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius responded to the attempt to lure away his allies as “a real bore.” Kubilius said that the opposition had run out of ideas and was playing a numbers game, one which the coalition would ignore as it worked.

The opposition pounced on what it saw as weakness in the coalition after one of its members failed to be voted in as the Seimas vice speaker. Jonas Liesis’ appointment to the position was denied after 72 parliamentarians voted against the notion. The coalition will propose the Liesis again because the vote was taken on the eve of the country’s independence celebrations and many of its members were not present in Seimas. They are expected to retry the vote this week.

Girnius said that even if the current coalition lost its majority, it wouldn’t be ready to take over the government.

“This would be a rainbow coalition but not in the way that a rainbow is nice. The new coalition would be such a disparate political mess with so many factions and views. I don’t think they themselves are ready to take over … but I wouldn’t place any bets on things happening in three or four months time,” he said. “They don’t want to take over yet because it isn’t clear with the economic recession and if there is a double dip recession, they don’t want to be stuck holding the bag.”

The opposition still officially has 53 members and is made up primarily of the Labor party, the Social Democrats and the Order and Justice Party. When the Christians join them, they will have 65 seats. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]parliament — it would leave the coalition with just 70 out of 141 seats. The Peasant Popular Union however is still supporting the ruling coalition with its 3 seats, despite not officially joining it.

The Liberal and Center Union and the National Resurrection party were invited by the opposition to join what they say is the “new majority force” in the Seimas.

Political analyst Kęstutis Girnius told Baltic Reports he doesn’t think the two parties would respond to the invitation.

“Not yet, I don’t think Valinskas’ people will go where their former colleagues have gone and I think the Liberal and Center Union will ride it out,” Girnius said referring to the Christian faction’s defection.

Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius responded to the attempt to lure away his allies as “a real bore.” Kubilius said that the opposition had run out of ideas and was playing a numbers game, one which the coalition would ignore as it worked.

The opposition pounced on what it saw as weakness in the coalition after one of its members failed to be voted in as the Seimas vice speaker. Jonas Liesis’ appointment to the position was denied after 72 parliamentarians voted against the notion. The coalition will propose the Liesis again because the vote was taken on the eve of the country’s independence celebrations and many of its members were not present in Seimas. They are expected to retry the vote this week.

Girnius said that even if the current coalition lost its majority, it wouldn’t be ready to take over the government.

“This would be a rainbow coalition but not in the way that a rainbow is nice. The new coalition would be such a disparate political mess with so many factions and views. I don’t think they themselves are ready to take over … but I wouldn’t place any bets on things happening in three or four months time,” he said. “They don’t want to take over yet because it isn’t clear with the economic recession and if there is a double dip recession, they don’t want to be stuck holding the bag.”

The opposition still officially has 53 members and is made up primarily of the Labor party, the Social Democrats and the Order and Justice Party. When the Christians join them, they will have 65 seats.[/private_subscription 1 year]

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