Remigijus Žemaitaitis

Žemaitaitis was born on 30 May 1982 in Šilutė. In 2005, he graduated from the Faculty of Law at 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, to members of the European Parliament Juozas Imbrasas and Rolandas Paksas. The latter had previously served as President of Lithuania.

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 Šilalė–Šilutė.{{cite news|title=Išankstiniai duomenys: Į Seimą išrinktas R.Pakso bendražygis R.Žemaitaitis|url=http://www.tv3.lt/naujiena/321659/isankstiniai-duomenys-i-seima-isrinktas-r-pakso-bendrazygis-r-zemaitaitis|accessdate=3 October 2016|publisher=TV3.lt|date=29 November 2009}} He was reelected to the Eleventh Seimas in 2012.{{cite web |title=Išrinkti Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo nariais 2012 - 2016 |url=https://www.vrk.lt/statiniai/puslapiai/2012_seimo_rinkimai/output_lt/rinkimu_diena/isrinkti_seimo_nariai_kadencijaik.html |publisher=Central Election Commission |date=16 November 2012}} He was elected the chairman of the Economics Committee at the parliament.{{cite news|title="Tvarkietis" Remigijus Žemaitaitis vadovaus Seimo Ekonomikos komitetui|url=http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/tvarkietis-remigijus-zemaitaitis-vadovaus-seimo-ekonomikos-komitetui-56-285575|accessdate=3 October 2016|publisher=15min.lt|date=5 December 2012}}

In the 2016 elections, Žemaitaitis headed the electoral list of Order and Justice.{{cite news|title="Tvarkiečius" į rinkimus ves Remigijus Žemaitaitis|url=http://www.ve.lt/naujienos/lietuva/lietuvos-naujienos/tvarkiecius-i-rinkimus-ves-remigijus-zemaitaitis-1479136/|accessdate=3 October 2016|agency=BNS|publisher=Vakarų Ekspresas|date=23 July 2016}} He was elected as MP representing the single-seat constituency of Southern Samogitia,{{cite web |title=Išrinkti Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo nariais 2016-2020 |url=https://www.vrk.lt/2016-seimo/rezultatai?srcUrl=/rinkimai/102/2/1306/rezultatai/lt/rezultataiIsrinktiNariai.html |publisher=Central Election Commission |date=2016-11-07}} a new name for the Šilalė district, now defined to exclude Šilutė.{{cite web |title=Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo rinkimų apygardų ribų žemėlapis |url=https://vrk.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=5bce6eb4495e46f5995aafc53aeb52cc |website=ArcGIS |publisher=Central Election Commission}} After these elections, the party's leader Rolandas Paksas resigned. Žemaitaitis became the interim leader of the party. Order and Justice joined the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union-led government in late 2018.{{cite news |last=Gudavičius |first=Stasys |title=Valdančiąją koaliciją papildė „tvarkiečiai“ |work=Verslo žinios |date=11 September 2018 |url=https://www.vz.lt/verslo-aplinka/2018/09/11/valdanciaja-koalicija-papilde-tvarkieciai |language=lt |access-date=23 November 2024}} In September 2018, according to the coalition's agreement, Žemaitaitis was appointed as one of the Deputy Speakers of the Seimas. Two months later, the Order and Justice parliamentary group dissolved itself and Žemaitaitis became an unaffiliated member of Seimas.

In October 2019, after Žemaitaitis backed an effort to strip Viktoras Pranckietis of his position as Speaker of the Seimas, the leader of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union party Ramūnas Karbauskis urged Žemaitaitis to resign from his Deputy Speaker position, calling the move a "betrayal" of the ruling coalition.{{cite news |title=Karbauskis urges Zemaitaitis to step down as parliament vice-speaker |url=https://www.delfi.lt/en/politics/karbauskis-urges-zemaitaitis-to-step-down-as-parliament-vice-speaker-82546037 |work=Delfi.lt |date=2019-10-17 |language=lt}} The next month, Žemaitaitis was removed from his position as Deputy Speaker after a vote of no confidence, with 72 MPs for removal and 5 against.

In 2020, the Lithuanian Freedom Union (Liberals), the Order and Justice and the movement "Forward, Lithuania" merged into the Freedom and Justice party. Žemaitaitis was elected its leader. In that year's parliamentary elections, he won a seat representing the Kelmė–Šilalė constituency, again geographically redefined.{{cite web |title=Išrinkti Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo nariais 2020-2024 |url=https://www.vrk.lt/2020-seimo/rezultatai?srcUrl=/rinkimai/1104/2/1744/rezultatai/lt/rezultataiIsrinktiNariai.html |publisher=Central Election Commission |date=2020-10-31}}

On 27 January 2024, Žemaitaitis announced that he would run as a candidate in the 2024 presidential election.{{cite news | last=Jaruševičiūtė-Mockuvienė | first=Gailė | title=Žemaitaitis skelbia kandidatuosiantis prezidento rinkimuose | work=LRT | date=22 January 2024 | url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/2176620/zemaitaitis-skelbia-kandidatuosiantis-prezidento-rinkimuose | language=lt | access-date=20 February 2024}} He finished in fourth place overall, receiving 9.21% of the vote in the first round of the election held on 12 May.{{cite web |title=2024 m. gegužės 12 d. Respublikos Prezidento rinkimai (I turas) |url=https://www.vrk.lt/2024-prezidento/rezultatai?srcUrl=/rinkimai/1504/1/2070/rezultatai/lt/rezultataiPreRezultatai.html |publisher=Central Election Commission |access-date=9 November 2024 |date=2024}}

Žemaitaitis participated in the 2024 parliamentary election as the leader of the Dawn of Nemunas party. He received 47.83% of the vote in the Kelmė–Šilalė constituency and was promptly elected in the first round.{{cite news |last1=Datkūnas |first1=Dominykas |title=Pirmame rinkimų ture išrinkti 8 vienmandatininkai |url=https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/pirmame-rinkimu-ture-isrinkti-8-vienmandatininkai-120056941 |work=Delfi.lt |date=2024-10-14 |language=lt}} The party came in third place overall, receiving 14.97% of the vote and securing 20 members in parliament. Dawn of Nemunas received a plurality of the vote in much of western Lithuania (Samogitia and Lithuania Minor).{{cite web |title=Rezultatai - Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo rinkimai 2024 |url=https://rinkimai.maps.lt/rinkimai2024/seimas/ |website=rinkimai.maps.lt |access-date=9 November 2024}} Following the election, the Dawn of Nemunas and Union of Democrats "For Lithuania" parties formed a ruling coalition led by the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, which finished first overall.{{cite news |last1=Higgins |first1=Andrew |date=8 November 2024 |title=Party Whose Leader Is Known for Antisemitism to Join Lithuanian Government |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/08/world/europe/lithuania-coalition-antisemitism.html |work=New York Times}}{{cite news |title=Social Democrats invite two parties to form Lithuania’s ruling coalition |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2408142/social-democrats-invite-two-parties-to-form-lithuania-s-ruling-coalition |work=lrt.lt |date=7 November 2024 |language=en}}

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" and advocated for talks.{{cite web |last1=Pankūnas |first1=Gytis |title=Rusijos propagandos įrankiui "Ekspress nedelia" interviu davęs R. Žemaitaitis: su jais reikia kalbėtis daugiau|date=10 September 2018 |url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/226318/rusijos-propagandos-irankiui-ekspress-nedelia-interviu-daves-r-zemaitaitis-su-jais-reikia-kalbetis-daugiau|language=lt}}{{cite news|title=Po interviu apie sankcijas Rusijai R. Žemaitaitis priverstas aiškintis| work=Lrytas | date=10 September 2018|url=https://www.lrytas.lt/lietuvosdiena/aktualijos/2018/09/10/news/po-interviu-apie-sankcijas-rusijai-r-zemaitaitis-priverstas-aiskintis-7519219|language=lt}}

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.{{cite news|title=LRT tyrimas. Vokietijos ultradešinieji vizitą į Lietuvos Seimą išnaudojo kelionei į Baltarusiją| work=LRT | date=8 February 2023|url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lrt-tyrimai/5/1884801/lrt-tyrimas-vokietijos-ultradesinieji-vizita-i-lietuvos-seima-isnaudojo-kelionei-i-baltarusija|language=lt}}

Between May and June 2023, Žemaitaitis publicly made five posts on Facebook that were condemned as antisemitic.{{cite web |title=KT: Seimo narys Remigijus Žemaitaitis sulaužė priesaiką ir šiurkščiai pažeidė Konstituciją |url=https://www.teise.pro/index.php/2024/04/25/kt-seimo-narys-remigijus-zemaitaitis-sulauze-priesaika-ir-siurksciai-pazeide-konstitucija/ |author=Constitutional Court of Lithuania |publisher=Teise.Pro |access-date=4 November 2024 |language=lt |date=25 April 2024 |quote=Remdamasis tuo, kas nustatyta šioje konstitucinės justicijos byloje, Konstitucinis Teismas konstatavo, kad Seimo narys R. Žemaitaitis sąmoningai, tikslingai ir sistemingai visuomenės informavimo priemonėse, t. y. viešai, paskelbė pasisakymus, kuriais žemino tautiniu pagrindu išskiriamai visuomenės daliai priklausančių asmenų orumą ir taip demonstravo neapykantą šiems asmenims.}} The first two posts on 8 May criticised the state of Israel for human rights violations against Palestinians, and in particular the destruction of an EU-funded school in the West Bank.{{cite news |title=Žemaitaitis anti-Semitism controversy: what exactly did he say? |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2410821/zemaitaitis-anti-semitism-controversy-what-exactly-did-he-say |work=lrt.lt |date=11 November 2024 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Po Žemaitaičio įrašo „imkit, vaikai, pagaliuką ir užmuškit tą žyduką“ – Izraelio ambasados pasipiktinimas |url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/1983873/po-zemaitaicio-iraso-imkit-vaikai-pagaliuka-ir-uzmuskit-ta-zyduka-izraelio-ambasados-pasipiktinimas |work=lrt.lt |date=8 May 2023 |language=lt}} Both of these posts quoted a well-known Lithuanian rhyme about murdering Jews ({{langx|lt|Lipo žydas kopėčiom ir nukrito netyčiom. Imkit, vaikai, pagaliuką ir užmuškit tą žyduką}}, {{lit|A Jew was climbing the ladder and accidentally fell off; take a stick, kids, and kill that little Jew.}}). A later post on 13 June was written in response to a visit to Israel by Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė. In this post, Žemaitaitis falsely claimed that a 1944 massacre in the village of Pirčiupiai was committed by Jews and Russians instead of its actual perpetrators, the Nazi German Schutzstaffel (SS), and further wrote that Lithuanians had suffered a greater Holocaust than Jews had. Žemaitaitis later stated that he had been mistaken about Pirčiupiai and had meant to refer to another event.

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 temporarily suspended Žemaitaitis' membership in party due to his antisemitic statements.{{cite news |title=„Laisvė ir teisingumas“ stabdo Žemaitaičio narystę partijoje |url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/1993738/laisve-ir-teisingumas-stabdo-zemaitaicio-naryste-partijoje |work=lrt.lt |date=19 May 2023 |language=lt}} Before the vote to start impeachment proceedings against him, Žemaitaitis left the party and founded the Dawn of Nemunas.{{cite web |title=R.Žemaitaitis patvirtintas naujai įkurtos partijos "Nemuno aušra" pirmininku |url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/r-zemaitaitis-patvirtintas-naujai-ikurtos-partijos-nemuno-ausra-pirmininku-56-2143024 |website=15min.lt |language=Lithuanian |date=11 November 2023}} During his remarks in Parliament, Žemaitaitis asserted that his statements were targeted towards Israel's actions against Palestinians, before the start of the 2023 war,{{cite news |last=Skėrytė |first=Jūratė |title=Seimas apsisprendė pradėti apkaltą Žemaitaičiui ir kreipėsi į Konstitucinį Teismą |work=LRT |date=21 November 2023 |url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/2129948/seimas-apsisprende-pradeti-apkalta-zemaitaiciui-ir-kreipesi-i-konstitucini-teisma |language=lt |access-date=12 November 2024}} and afterwards clarified that he would support a death sentence for Benjamin Netanyahu.{{cite web |last1=Miškinis |first1=Vytenis |title=Dėl neapykantos kurstymo prieš žydus teisiamas Žemaitaitis: laukiu, kada Benjaminas Netanyahu bus nuteistas mirties bausme |url=https://www.delfi.lt/news/daily/lithuania/del-neapykantos-kurstymo-pries-zydus-teisiamas-zemaitaitis-laukiu-kada-benjaminas-netanyahu-bus-nuteistas-mirties-bausme-120047264 |website=Delfi |language=lt |date=3 September 2024}} He denounced the investigations into them as political repression and character assassination. In April 2024, the Constitutional Court decided that the politician had broken his oath as a member of Seimas and violated the country's Constitution,{{cite web | url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/seimo-narys-r-zemaitaitis-sulauze-priesaika-ir-pazeide-konstitucija-nustate-kt-56-2231042 | title=KT: Seimo narys R.Žemaitaitis sulaužė priesaiką ir pažeidė Konstituciją }} deeming the statements antisemitic. Right after that, in order to avoid the vote on removal from the parliament, Žemaitaitis resigned as the member of the Seimas.{{cite web | url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/kt-sulauziusiu-priesaika-pripazintas-r-zemaitaitis-zada-atsisakyti-parlamentaro-mandato-56-2231064 | title=KT sulaužiusiu priesaiką pripažintas R.Žemaitaitis žada atsisakyti parlamentaro mandato }} Žemaitaitis lodged an appeal in the European Court of Human Rights against Lithuania over his impeachment procedures and the ruling.{{cite news |title=Lithuania’s ex-MP Žemaitaitis turns to ECHR over his impeachment process |work=LRT |date=26 August 2024 |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2346878/lithuania-s-ex-mp-zemaitaitis-turns-to-echr-over-his-impeachment-process |access-date=23 November 2024}}

Following the 2024 Lithuanian parliamentary election, the decision of the victorious Social Democrats to invite Dawn of Nemunas into the new ruling coalition provoked local and international backlash focusing on Žemaitaitis' past statements. Politicians in the United States, Germany, Poland, and Israel criticised the decision to include Dawn of Nemunas, as did civil society groups and protesters in Lithuania.{{cite web |title=Second protest against coalition government to be held in Vilnius |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2415392/second-protest-against-coalition-government-to-be-held-in-vilnius |website=lrt.lt |language=en |date=18 November 2024}}{{cite news |title=Tarptautinė kritika dėl R.Žemaitaičio stiprėja: pasisakė ir Izraelis |url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/tarptautine-kritika-del-r-zemaitaicio-stipreja-pasisake-ir-izraelis-56-2339826 |work=15min.lt |date=2024-11-09 |language=lt}} Žemaitaitis reacted by claiming that the international reactions had been instigated by his political opponents.{{cite news |last1=Šilobritas |first1=Žygimantas |title=Žemaitaitis: užsienio politikų reakcijas sukurstė politiniai oponentai |url=https://www.lrt.lt/naujienos/lietuvoje/2/2409604/zemaitaitis-uzsienio-politiku-reakcijas-sukurste-politiniai-oponentai |work=lrt.lt |date=9 November 2024 |language=lt}} He also sent a letter to ambassadors of NATO and EU countries, as well as Israel, stating that he is not anti-Semitic, simply critical of Israel's actions, and that he believes in equality and human dignity.{{cite web |title=Lithuania’s Žemaitaitis insists he is not anti-Semitic in letter to foreign ambassadors |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2410399/lithuania-s-zemaitaitis-insists-he-is-not-anti-semitic-in-letter-to-foreign-ambassadors |website=lrt.lt |language=en |date=11 November 2024}} In the letter he mentioned that he had met with the Jewish community in Kaunas during the campaign to express his regret and respect.

On 19 November 2024, the Prosecutor's Office began investigation into alleged defamation of Ingrida Šimonytė made by the politician on Facebook.{{cite news |title=Po R. Žemaitaičio įrašo „Facebook“ – ikiteisminis tyrimas dėl I. Šimonytės šmeižimo |work=Lrytas |date=19 November 2024 |url=https://www.lrytas.lt/lietuvosdiena/aktualijos/2024/11/19/news/po-r-zemaitaicio-iraso-facebook-ikiteisminis-tyrimas-del-i-simonytes-smeizimo-35233862 |language=lt |access-date=23 November 2024}}

In November 2024, the Lithuanian Police had begun investigation of another Facebook post made by Žemaitaitis, on grounds of BK 170.2 pertaining to ethnic hatred.{{cite news |last=Jakučionis |first=Saulius |title=Policija pradėjo ikiteisminį tyrimą dėl R.Žemaitaičio įrašo feisbuke |work=15min |date=11 November 2024 |url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/lietuva/policija-pradejo-ikiteismini-tyrima-del-r-zemaitaicio-iraso-feisbuke-56-2340578 |language=lt |access-date=12 November 2024}} In the post he called for protestors to gather with candles in front of the home of Vytautas Landsbergis, Lithuania's first post-Soviet leader and the former head of the opposing Homeland Union party. This post was made as a response to a protest that was planned to be held in Independence Square in Vilnius against the inclusion of Dawn of Nemunas in the ruling Seimas coalition.{{cite news |title=People in Vilnius to protest against new coalition |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2411674/people-in-vilnius-to-protest-against-new-coalition |work=lrt.lt |date=12 November 2024 |language=en}}

Žemaitaitis describes himself as a conservative liberal.{{cite web |last1=Jurčenkaitė |first1=Indrė |title=Trys "konservatyvūs liberalai": sutaria dėl homoseksualų partnerystės, bet ne dėl mirties bausmės |url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/prenumerata/ivykiai/trys-konservatyvus-liberalai-sutaria-del-homoseksualu-partnerystes-bet-ne-del-mirties-bausmes-1226-1268328 |website=15min.lt |language=lt |date=9 February 2020}}

Žemaitaitis is opposed to legalization of multiple citizenship in Lithuania, and supports civil unions for same-sex couples, but not same-sex marriage. He abstained on the 26 May 2022 vote on a compromise civil union bill in the Seimas.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lrs.lt/sip/portal.show?p_r=37067&p_k=1&p_kade_id=9&p_ses_id=126&p_fakt_pos_id=-501724&p_bals_id=-46185#balsKlausimas|title=Civilinės sąjungos įstatymo projektas (Nr. XIVP-1694) (Balsavimo rezultatas)|website=lrs.lt}} He is opposed to the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.{{cite web |title=Remigijus Žemaitaitis |url=https://www.manobalsas.lt/Remigijus-Zemaitaitis/ |website=Mano balsas |language=lt}}

In 2017, he proposed the restoration of the death penalty in Lithuania.{{cite web |title=Seimo nario R. Žemaitaičio pranešimas: "Parlamentaras kreipėsi į Europos Komisijos Pirmininką ir į Europos Vadovų Tarybos Pirmininką dėl mirties bausmės atitikties ES teisei" |url=https://www.lrs.lt/sip/portal.show?p_r=36002&p_k=1&p_t=170285 |website=Seimas |language=lt |date=13 March 2017}}

Remigijus Žemaitaitis is married to Živilė Žemaitaitienė. They have two children.{{cite web |title=2020 parliamentary election. Candidate biography: Remigijus Žemaitaitis. |url=https://www.vrk.lt/2020-sei/kandidatai?srcUrl=/rinkimai/1104/rnk1424/kandidatai/lrsKandidatasBiografija_rkndId-2420191.html |publisher=Central Election Commission |date=2020}} His hobbies include fishing, traveling, reading, and cooking.{{cite web |title=2024 parliamentary election. Candidate biography: Remigijus Žemaitaitis. |url=https://www.vrk.lt/2024-seimo/rezultatai?srcUrl=/rinkimai/1544/rnk1870/kandidatai/KandidatasBiografija_rkndId-2437045.html |publisher=Central Election Commission |date=2024}} In addition to his native Lithuanian, he speaks English and Russian.

As of 2023, Žemaitaitis was the fifth-wealthiest member of the Seimas, with 940,000 euros in declared assets.{{cite news |last1=Biržietis |first1=Dominykas |title=Who are the richest Lithuanian MPs? |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2306884/who-are-the-richest-lithuanian-mps |work=lrt.lt |date=27 June 2024 |language=en}}

• [https://www.lrt.lt/tema/remigijus-zemaitaitis Remigijus Žemaitaitis LRT]

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Category:1982 births

Category:Antisemitism in Lithuania

Category:Living people

Category:Members of the Seimas

Category:People from Šilutė District Municipality

Category:Order and Justice politicians

Category:Freedom and Justice politicians

Category:Vilnius University alumni