Lithuanians protest against the Civil Union Law

After the Seimas approved the draft law on Civil Union in the consideration stage on Tuesday, a group of protesters gathered in front of the parliament building on May, 25. Those gathered expressed their outrage at the initiative and said they are in favor of the woman and the man’s family.

The protesters arrived carrying the flags of the Republic of Lithuania, the Family Movement, the National Association of Families and Parents, the “For the Family” union and posters with the inscriptions: “Against civil marriage”, “For the child’s right to have a mother and father”, “For the family of a woman and a man”.

The representatives of the Family Movement, chairman of the Christian Union Rimantas Jonas Dagys participated in the protest.

“No to civil union – no to legalized prostitution!” one poster read.

60 members of the Seimas were in favor of legalizing the civil union, 52 were against, 3 abstained.

The opposition factions of workers and peasants, as well as the Mixed Group of Seimas members, unanimously voted against. The ruling Freedom faction voted unanimously for it.

Opinions differed in the ranks of the Conservatives, Liberal Movement, Social Democrats and Democratic factions.

President Gitanas Nausėda will consider whether to sign the ambiguously assessed Civil Union draft law only when the Seimas makes a final decision on this legal act, said Asta Skaisgirytė, advisor to the country’s leader.

According to her, the law making its way through the parliament is in the “initial stage” and may change. Therefore, continued A. Skaisgirytė, it would be irresponsible to evaluate the current version of the project”.

Chairman of the Seimas Human Rights Committee Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius has no doubts that if the parliament approves the draft law on Civil Union, President Gitanas Nausėda will not veto it.

“To be honest, seeing the Western, principled stance of the President, where our strategic partners are, I have not the slightest doubt that the President will sign this law,” TV Raskevičius told reporters in the Seimas on Thursday.

A civil union would be considered a voluntary agreement between two persons (partners) to legally protect their personal relationships.

Partners who entered into a civil union would not be able to acquire a common surname.

This agreement would be registered with a notary and not at the civil registry office.

If passed, the proposed law would guarantee both same-sex and opposite-sex couples the right to enter into a civil union, legally protect property and non-property relationships of a personal nature.

It seems that the local elite does not understand that such laws lead to a decrease of the population. The more so, such policy shows third countries’ influence on the situation in the country.

United States Ambassador to Lithuania Robert S. Gilchrist says, that U.S. President Joe Biden would welcome the adoption of the law as the issue is important for his administration.

Two dozen ambassadors based in Vilnius have issued a statement on the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), calling for ensuring equal rights for LGBTQI+ people and legally recognising same-sex partnership.

The statement expresses support for efforts in Lithuania and the European Union to build a “democratic” society.

The statement, published by the US embassy, was signed by the ambassadors of 22 countries, including Israel, Estonia, and Germany.

Let’s hope that once again, attempts to adopt the law will fail. Our country needs a healthy and prosperous nation. We cannot allow a population decrease at the expense of human lives!