Remigijus Žemaitaitis
Remigijus Žemaitaitis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the Seimas | |
| In office 15 November 2009 – 29 April 2024[1] | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 May 1982 Šilutė, Lithuania |
| Political party | Order and Justice (2013–19) Freedom and Justice (2019–22) Dawn of Nemunas (since 2023) |
| Spouse | Živilė Žemaitaitienė[2] |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Vilnius University |
Remigijus Žemaitaitis (born 30 May 1982) is a Lithuanian right-wing politician and[3] member of the Seimas, known for his antisemitic statements.[4][5][6]
Biography
[edit]Žemaitaitis was born on 30 May 1982 in Šilutė.[2] In 2005, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at the Vilnius University. Until 2007 he worked as a lawyer and assistant at courts. Between 2007 and 2009 he worked as an assistant to the mayor of Vilnius and, later, a member of the European Parliament Juozas Imbrasas and former President of Lithuania Rolandas Paksas.
A member of the Order and Justice party, Žemaitaitis was elected to the Tenth Seimas in 2009, in the by-election in the single-seat constituency of Šilutė-Šilalė.[7] He was reelected to the Eleventh Seimas in 2012. He was elected the chairman of the Economics Committee at the parliament.[8]
In elections in 2016, Žemaitaitis headed the electoral list of Order and Justice.[9] After these elections, party's leader Rolandas Paksas resigned. Žemaitaitis became the interim leader of the party.
In 2018, the party suffered splits and its support declined. After 2019 presidential election, the Order and Justice joined the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union-led government. According coalition's agreement, Žemaitaitis became the Deputy Speaker of Seimas. Two months later, the Order and Justice parliamentary group dissolved itself and Žemaitaitis became unaffiliated member of Seimas. In November, 2019, Žemaitaitis was removed from the Deputy Speaker's position after vote of no confidence.
In 2020, the Lithuanian Freedom Union (Liberals), the Order and Justice and the movement "Forward, Lithuania" merged into party the Freedom and Justice. Žemaitaitis was elected its leader.
On 27 January 2024, Žemaitaitis announced that he will run as a candidate in the 2024 presidential election.[10]
Controversies
[edit]In September 2018, while giving an interview to a Russian-language weekly newspaper Ekspress nedelya, Žemaitaitis stated that he was against, what he referred to as "anti-Russian sanctions" as well as advocated for talks.[11] [12]
In November 2022, while going for a visit to Belarus, under the invitation of Žemaitaitis, lawmaker and member of the far-right party Alternative for Germany Petr Bystron visited Lithuania.[13]
Antisemitism
[edit]Between May and June 2023, Žemaitaitis publicly made five anti-Semitic posts on Facebook.[14] The comments were strongly criticised and condemned by Lithuanian politicians, the Lithuanian Jewish community, and a number of ambassadors in Lithuania. On 19 May 2023, Freedom and Justice terminated Žemaitaitis' membership in party due to his antisemitic statements.[citation needed] In April of 2024, The Constitutional Court decided that the politician has broken the oath of the member of Seimas and violated the country's Constitution. Right after that, in order to avoid the vote on removal from the parliament, Žemaitaitis resigned as the member of the Seimas.[15][16][17]
Following his suspension, he left Freedom and Justice party and founded the party Dawn of Nemunas (Nemuno aušra).[18] On 3 September 2024, Žemaitaitis claimed that his comments were targeted towards Israel and claimed that he would support a death sentence for Benjamin Netanyahu for his actions against Palestinians.[19]
Political views
[edit]Žemaitaitis describes himself as a conservative liberal.[20]
Žemaitaitis is opposed to legalization of multiple citizenship in Lithuania, and supports civil unions for same-sex couples, but not same-sex marriage.[21] He abstained on the 26 May 2022 vote on a compromise civil union bill in the Seimas.[22] He is opposed to the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.[23]
In 2017, he proposed the restoration of the death penalty in Lithuania.[24]
References
[edit]- ^ Lyberytė, Augustė (29 April 2024). "Žemaitaitis atsisako Seimo nario mandato". LRT (in Lithuanian).
- ^ a b "Member of the Seimas". Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ "Sudie, Remigijau: VRK panaikino R. Žemaitaičio mandatą, jo vieta Seime bus tuščia". www.alfa.lt.
- ^ "Žemaitaitis toliau žarstosi antisemitiniais pareiškimais: piktinasi premjerės vizitu Izraelyje, kalba apie lietuvių holokaustą". lrt.lt. June 14, 2023.
- ^ Jakubauskas, Ramūnas. ""Labai gajus antisemitizmas": istorikai įvertino naują R.Žemaitaičio pareiškimą". 15min.lt.
- ^ "Holokausto memorialo vadovas apie Žemaitaitį: antisemitams Lietuvos Seime neturi būti vietos". Delfi.
- ^ "Išankstiniai duomenys: Į Seimą išrinktas R.Pakso bendražygis R.Žemaitaitis". TV3.lt. 29 November 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ ""Tvarkietis" Remigijus Žemaitaitis vadovaus Seimo Ekonomikos komitetui". 15min.lt. 5 December 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ ""Tvarkiečius" į rinkimus ves Remigijus Žemaitaitis". Vakarų Ekspresas. BNS. 23 July 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2016.
- ^ Jaruševičiūtė-Mockuvienė, Gailė (22 January 2024). "Žemaitaitis skelbia kandidatuosiantis prezidento rinkimuose". LRT (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Pankūnas, Gytis (10 September 2018). "Rusijos propagandos įrankiui "Ekspress nedelia" interviu davęs R. Žemaitaitis: su jais reikia kalbėtis daugiau" (in Lithuanian).
- ^ "Po interviu apie sankcijas Rusijai R. Žemaitaitis priverstas aiškintis". Lrytas (in Lithuanian). 10 September 2018.
- ^ "LRT tyrimas. Vokietijos ultradešinieji vizitą į Lietuvos Seimą išnaudojo kelionei į Baltarusiją". LRT (in Lithuanian). 8 February 2023.
- ^ Constitutional Court of Lithuania (25 April 2024). "KT: Seimo narys Remigijus Žemaitaitis sulaužė priesaiką ir šiurkščiai pažeidė Konstituciją" (in Lithuanian). Teise.Pro. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- ^ "KT: Seimo narys R.Žemaitaitis sulaužė priesaiką ir pažeidė Konstituciją".
- ^ "KT sulaužiusiu priesaiką pripažintas R.Žemaitaitis žada atsisakyti parlamentaro mandato".
- ^ "Žemaitaitis atsisako Seimo nario mandato". 29 April 2024.
- ^ "R.Žemaitaitis patvirtintas naujai įkurtos partijos "Nemuno aušra" pirmininku". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). 11 November 2023.
- ^ Miškinis, Vytenis (3 September 2024). "Dėl neapykantos kurstymo prieš žydus teisiamas Žemaitaitis: laukiu, kada Benjaminas Netanyahu bus nuteistas mirties bausme". Delfi (in Lithuanian).
- ^ Jurčenkaitė, Indrė (9 February 2020). "Trys "konservatyvūs liberalai": sutaria dėl homoseksualų partnerystės, bet ne dėl mirties bausmės". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian).
- ^ "Remigijus Žemaitaitis". LRT (in Lithuanian). 2024.
- ^ "Civilinės sąjungos įstatymo projektas (Nr. XIVP-1694) (Balsavimo rezultatas)". lrs.lt.
- ^ "Remigijus Žemaitaitis". Mano balsas (in Lithuanian).
- ^ "Seimo nario R. Žemaitaičio pranešimas: "Parlamentaras kreipėsi į Europos Komisijos Pirmininką ir į Europos Vadovų Tarybos Pirmininką dėl mirties bausmės atitikties ES teisei"". Seimas (in Lithuanian). 13 March 2017.
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