Lithuania: centre-left coalition deal struck

Lithuania’s ruling coalition will enter into
government with the Labour opposition under a new power-sharing
deal.

Lithuania will have a new centre-left coalition
government that includes the opposition Labour Party
under a power-sharing deal concluded on 3 November in the
wake of the inconclusive 24 October elections. Under the
deal, the coalition of the Social Democrats and the
Social Liberals will be joined by the Labour Party of
Russian-born businessman Viktor Uspaskich. 

In the 24 October elections, the Social
Democrat-Social Liberal alliance garnered 31 seats,
the Labour Party 39 seats and the right-wing Conservative
and Liberal Centre Union parties together 43 seats in the
141-seat parliament (Seimas). The deal would give a
bare majority to the new coalition.

“The Labour Party will be just like a partner but
in no way a dominating force and this will guarantee the
continuity of government which is what Brussels is
looking and hoping for,” said Prime Minister
Algirdas Brazauskas. His reference was to widespread
fears that through his one-year-old populist Labour
Party, Uspaskich would seek to revive Russia’s
influence in Lithuania. Uspaskich himself has repeatedly
denied this.

Also on 3 November, the Lithuanian government decided
to ratify the new European Constitution in parliament
rather than in a referendum.

Read more with Euractiv

Latvia's government collapses after budget row

Latvia's minority coalition government, led by Europe's first Green prime minister, has resigned after the country's legislators refused to pass the 2005 budget.