On the attempted takeover of Lithuania’s public broadcaster and the threat to democracy in Lithuania
B-10-2026-0076
on behalf of the ESN Group · Rapporteur: Petras Gražulis, Zsuzsanna Borvendég
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This resolution expresses concern about changes to the governance of Lithuania's public broadcaster (LRT) made by the former ruling coalition after the 2024 Seimas elections, replacing the simple majority appointment procedure with a two-thirds qualified majority and abolishing the secret ballot.¶ It condemns political censorship in public media, including reported bans on journalists interviewing elected representatives of current parliamentary majority parties, and calls on Lithuanian authorities to restore the previous democratic governance structure of LRT.¶¶
Key points
- Expresses serious concern that the former ruling coalition changed LRT governance rules, replacing the simple majority appointment and dismissal procedure with a two-thirds qualified majority and abolishing the secret ballot, after the 2024 Seimas election results were known.¶
- Stresses that simple majority and secret ballot for appointing and dismissing the director general is a widely recognised democratic standard, and excessive qualified majority requirements risk institutional paralysis and preserving party influence.¶
- Unequivocally condemns any political censorship in public media, including reported decisions by current LRT management to ban journalists from interviewing or reporting on elected representatives of parties forming the current parliamentary majority.¶
- Rejects attempts to use European Parliament resolutions to protect politically connected media executives or legitimise governance arrangements that undermine democratic accountability.¶
- Calls on Lithuanian authorities to restore the previous democratic governance structure of LRT, confirming the primacy of its council as the highest governing body, with the right to appoint and dismiss the director general by simple majority and secret ballot.¶
- Calls on all political actors to ensure that public service broadcasting serves the whole of society, reflecting a diversity of opinions and not a single ideological line.