Religious influence in the adoption of inclusive intimate citizenship: insights from the Lithuanian Parliament

Abstract

<p> The dissolution of the USSR in the 1990s marked the re-emergence of religion as a prominent force in Lithuania’s public life. Despite its constitutional status as a secular state, the influence of religion has become increasingly evident in recent debates on women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. Lithuania has not ratified the so called Istanbul Convention and remains one of the last EU jurisdictions without any legal recognition for same-sex relationships. These initiatives have triggered ideological clashes between progressive and conservative actors, with the lat ter invoking Lithuania’s Catholic cultural heritage. This opposition is reinforced by the instrumentalization of stripped-down and reinterpreted religious values, anti-gender rhetoric, and informal cooperation between politicians and the Lithuanian Catholic Church. This paper aims to explore the ways in which religion shapes the political dis course around the implementation of more inclusive intimate citizenship, fo cusing on women’s and LGBTQ+ rights initiatives in Lithuania. It is based on PhD research involving expert interviews with members of the Parliament of the Re public of Lithuania (Seimas) and a critical analysis of parliamentary debates on various women’s and LGBTQ+ rights initiatives. Set within the broader context of rising anti-gender and neo-conservative ideologies in post-communist Central and Eastern Europe, the paper contributes to a deeper academic understanding of the interplay between politics, religion and gender in post-communist socie ties. It also challenges conventional secularisation narratives by highlighting the persistence and adaptation of religion in contemporary societies.</p>