'The speech strongly emphasises the image of the state as a „fortress“, which conveys a symbolic stance against external threats. It signals that strengthening military infrastructure and political positioning in the international security architecture are becoming priorities,' the expert told ELTA.
'The lexical map places the language in the NATO-EU context, and the theme of defence becomes not only the main but also the dominant message through which the entire communicative axis of the speech can be constructed,' she added.
According to Kairienė, the mobilising mood prevailing in the report was further reinforced by adjectives such as 'firm', 'necessary', 'clear', „strategic“ and 'value-based'.
'Comparing President Gitanas Nausėda's 2025 annual report with that of 2024, fundamental thematic and rhetorical shifts emerge, reflecting not only the changing geopolitical situation but also different communication goals,' said the data strategist.
Last year, more attention was paid to social issues
Kairienė claims that this year's speech differed significantly from previous years, as last year, the President emphasised aspects of the social agenda and most frequently used terms such as 'poverty', 'inequality', 'prosperity', 'disparity', 'education', and 'pensions'.
'The most frequently repeated words – 'poverty', 'inequality', 'prosperity', 'divide', 'education' and 'pensions' – showed a desire to talk about domestic policy challenges, social sensitivity and people's everyday lives. Geopolitical issues, such as support for Ukraine or NATO membership, were also discussed but did not become the focus of the speech. Reflections on the state of society dominated, and the tone was more oriented towards dialogue than mobilisation,“ said the data strategist.
This trend was confirmed by the adjectives most frequently used in last year's speech, which indicate an emotional connection.
'Meanwhile, the most frequently used adjectives in 2024 – 'social', ' sincere', 'additional', 'concrete', 'national' – testified to the desire to create an emotional connection, consolidate and calm society,' explained V. Kairienė.
Strategic narratives emerged
According to the data strategist, the language used this year also offered a slightly different interpretation than last year's media coverage. Last year, according to Kairienė, the emphasis was on strategic narratives, while this year, the focus was on the voices of the people.
'In summary, the 2025 speech is highly militarised, geopolitical and strategically focused on the role of the state as a provider of security. The 2024 speech is more sensitive to internal social problems, focused on people's everyday lives and the dimension of state welfare,' said the expert.
'Not only does the thematic content differ, but also the emotional temperature: this year's tone is purposeful, strict, based on security logic, while in previous years, a calmer, more humane discourse prevailed. This contrast offers different directions for media interpretation: in one case, the language of 'strategic narratives and defence leadership; in the other, the story of 'people's voices and social sensitivity, ' she explained.
ELTA reminds us that on Thursday, President Nausėda delivered his sixth annual address to the Seimas, in which he traditionally reviewed the most important events in Lithuania and the world over the past year.
In his speech, the head of state reviewed the government's initiatives on tax changes and regional policy, drawing attention to the priorities of the security and defence system.
The report also criticised the ruling party for failing to lift the legal immunity of Arūnas Dudėnas, a member of the Social Democratic Party. Nausėda also mentioned Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, who has recently been embroiled in a scandal involving companies he owns.
'When you put on the mantle of a politician, you should think nine times before getting involved in business. Otherwise, unresolved business issues will constantly undermine the most promising initiatives and cause them to be rejected due to justified and unjustified suspicions, ' Nausėda stated in his annual report.
This annual address by the Head of State to parliament and the public is the first report of Nausėda's second term.
By the Constitution, the President delivers an annual report to the Seimas, discussing the situation in the country and the most significant events in Lithuania's domestic and foreign policy. The country's leaders traditionally deliver such reports during the spring session of parliament.