Gitanas Nausėda

1.1. Birth and childhood

Gitanas Nausėda was born on 19 May 1964, in the port city of Klaipėda, located on the Baltic Sea coast. His father, Antanas Nausėda (1929-2022), was an engineer, and his mother, Stasė Nausėdienė (1931-2014), was a physics and mathematics teacher from the village of Lazdininkai. He has a sister, Vilija, born in 1959, who is an economist.

He began his secondary education at Klaipėda 5th Secondary School in 1970 and also attended the Klaipėda Music School from 1971, where he sang in the boys' choir "Gintarėlis". During summers, he often spent time at his grandparents' home in Būdviečiai village, near Tauragė.

1.2. Education

In 1981, Nausėda initially failed his mathematics exam and was unable to gain admission to Vilnius University. However, he successfully enrolled the following year, studying Industrial Economics at Vilnius University from 1982 to 1987. He continued his academic pursuits as a postgraduate student of Economics at the same university from 1987 until 1989, under the supervision of Vladas Astrauskas.

In 1988, at the age of 24, Nausėda registered to join the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), receiving his party ticket on 27 June. This membership would later become a subject of public controversy.

From 1990 to 1992, he undertook a practical training program at the University of Mannheim in Germany, supported by a DAAD scholarship. Upon his return to Lithuania, he defended his PhD thesis, titled "Income Policy Under Inflation and Stagflation," in 1993, earning a doctorate in social sciences from Vilnius University. Since 2009, he has served as an associate professor at the Vilnius University Business School, where he also occasionally delivered economics lectures from 1987 to 2004.

2.1. Banking and finance career

Following the completion of his studies, Nausėda began his professional career in 1992, working at the Research Institute for Economics and Privatization until 1993. From 1993 to 1994, he served as the Head of the Financial Markets Department at the Lithuanian Competition Council.

His career in central banking began in 1994 at the Bank of Lithuania, where he initially worked in the department responsible for regulating commercial banks. He later advanced to become the Director of the Monetary Policy Department, a position he held until 2000. From 2000 to 2008, Nausėda was the chief economist and advisor to the chairman of AB Vilniaus Bankas. He then transitioned to SEB Bankas, where he worked from 2008 to 2018 as a financial analyst, chief advisor, and later as the chief economist for the bank's president.

2.2. Academic activities

Beyond his roles in banking and finance, Nausėda maintained a strong connection to academia. He hosted occasional economics lectures at Vilnius University from 1987 to 2004. Since 2009, he has held the position of associate professor at the Vilnius University Business School, contributing to economic education and research.

3.1. 2019 Lithuanian presidential election

On 17 September 2018, Gitanas Nausėda officially announced his candidacy for the 2019 Lithuanian presidential election. He ran as an independent candidate, distinguishing himself from established political parties. His campaign focused on the promise of a "welfare state," though the specific definition of this agenda sparked considerable public discussion. He also advocated for positions such as progressive real estate tax and multiple citizenship, while opposing an increase in value added tax for defense spending.

In the first round of the election, Nausėda secured 441,396 votes, representing 31.16% of the total, finishing closely behind former Finance Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, who was endorsed by the Homeland Union. The two proceeded to a runoff election. In the second round on 26 May 2019, Nausėda decisively defeated Šimonytė, garnering 881,495 votes, or 66.53% of the total. His victory was largely attributed to his moderate, "catch-all" political profile, which appealed to a broad spectrum of voters. He was officially inaugurated as President on 12 July 2019. Prior to his own presidential bid, Nausėda had supported the 2004 election campaign of former Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus.

3.2. 2024 Lithuanian presidential election

On 7 December 2023, President Nausėda announced his decision to seek re-election for a second term in the 2024 Lithuanian presidential election. His re-election bid was notably endorsed by the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party and the Lithuanian Regions Party.

The first round of the election took place on 12 May 2024. Nausėda secured the highest number of votes, with 627,851 votes, or 46% of the total. However, as he did not achieve an outright majority, he advanced to a runoff election against his 2019 opponent, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, who received 16% of the votes. The second round was held on 26 May 2024. Nausėda was re-elected for his second term with a commanding 879,731 votes, representing 75.58% of the total, once again defeating Šimonytė.

4.1. Foreign policy

Nausėda's foreign policy approach has consistently emphasized Lithuania's role in regional security and the promotion of democratic values, particularly in its relations with neighboring countries and major global powers.

4.1.2. Poland

Nausėda has actively pursued improved relations with Poland, establishing himself as a personal ally of the Polish leadership. His first foreign visit as president was to Warsaw on 16 July 2019, where he met with President Andrzej Duda. During this visit, there were calls for him to foster a more personal relationship with Poland. Nausėda also publicly rejected any attempts by European Union leaders to sanction Poland over its actions concerning the Supreme Court of Poland and the country's judiciary.

On 22 November 2019, Nausėda and Duda, accompanied by the First Lady of Poland Agata Kornhauser-Duda, participated in the state funeral in Vilnius for commanders and participants of the January Uprising (1863-1864) against Tsarist rule. During his visit, Duda emphasized the importance of unity among Central European nations for their independence. In January 2020, Nausėda joined Duda in withdrawing from the 5th World Holocaust Forum, criticizing the event for giving a speaking slot to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had engaged in a historical revisionist campaign against Poland's World War II history. In July 2020, Nausėda and Duda also participated in the 610th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of Grunwald.

4.1.4. Ukraine

Lithuania, under Nausėda's leadership, has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine. In November 2019, he commented on the Steinmeier formula, suggested by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a solution to the Russo-Ukrainian War, stating that it was "more profitable for Russia than Ukraine."

On 23 February 2022, the day before the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Nausėda, along with his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda, visited Zelenskyy in Kyiv to express solidarity and support. During the visit, Nausėda affirmed, "In the face of Russian aggression, Ukraine will not be left alone... We will support Ukraine with all possible means." Following the invasion, Nausėda called for comprehensive military, economic, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. On 13 April 2022, Nausėda, along with the Presidents of Poland, Latvia, and Estonia, visited Borodianka, a town northwest of Kyiv, to inspect high-rise buildings damaged by Russian forces and later met with President Zelenskyy in Kyiv to express full support for Ukraine. He returned to Kyiv on 28 July 2022, and again on 23-24 August 2023 for Ukraine's Independence Day, where he delivered an address to the Ukrainian people. In April 2024, Nausėda voiced support for the repatriation of military-age Ukrainian men living in Lithuania to Ukraine to be drafted into the Ukrainian army.

4.2. Domestic politics and government relations

Nausėda's presidency has been marked by a dynamic and sometimes challenging relationship with the Lithuanian government, particularly with the centre-right ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.

He publicly broke with the government's decision to establish a de facto embassy of Taiwan using the country's name in the title, an issue that caused significant diplomatic tensions with China.

4.3. International trips

As President, Gitanas Nausėda frequently leads Lithuanian diplomatic, academic, and business delegations worldwide to promote and advance Lithuanian interests. This includes defending the nation's interests regionally, particularly in light of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, and internationally to foster Lithuanian business and industry, and establish ties with other states. Since 2019, Nausėda has undertaken 79 international trips, including 13 to Belgium for European Union meetings, 8 to Poland, 6 to Germany, and 4 to the United States for sessions of the United Nations General Assembly. His most recent visit was to Australia, where he spent a day in both Melbourne and Canberra.

Nausėda has also welcomed numerous foreign leaders and dignitaries to Lithuania since taking office, including Latvian President Egils Levits, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Canadian Governor-General Julie Payette.

5.1. Ideological self-description

During his 2019 presidential campaign, Nausėda described himself as a "compassionate conservative." However, some political scientists have found his political views difficult to precisely define, noting that they are heavily influenced by economic arguments rather than a clear ideology. According to Lauras Bielinis, Nausėda's background as an economist and his activities in banking remain essential factors in his political decisions.

By 2024, Nausėda claimed that his vision "partially or, I would say to a large extent, coincides with the social democratic point of view." This shift was further underscored by the fact that his 2024 bid for re-election was endorsed by the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party and the Lithuanian Regions Party.

5.2. Economic and social policies

Nausėda's policy stances reflect a mix of economic liberalism and welfare state concepts. While he supports free-market economics, he campaigned on the promise of a "welfare state," a concept whose lack of precise definition led to considerable discussion during and after his campaign. During his presidency, he endorsed a progressive real estate tax and multiple citizenship, and he opposed raising value added tax for defense spending.

On social issues, Nausėda has taken more conservative positions. He has opposed the legalization of marijuana and same-sex marriage. However, he has expressed support for diversity quotas for women. Regarding same-sex partnerships, he supports the Šimonytė Cabinet's proposal, provided that the reform does not violate the Constitution. In 2021, he notably refused to sign a letter from EU leaders condemning the Hungarian anti-LGBT law. This decision followed his endorsement of the Great Family Defense March, a protest held in Vilnius against the partnership law proposal, which he described as "genderist propaganda." Nausėda delivered a pre-recorded speech at the event, affirming his belief that marriage should be exclusively between a man and a woman.

7.1. Private house in a regional park

Environmentalists have criticized Gitanas Nausėda for constructing a modern private house within Pavilniai Regional Park, specifically near the Pūčkoriai exposure, a unique geological formation designated as a nature monument in 1974. Nausėda, who was an advisor for SEB Bankas at the time of construction, maintained that he had obtained a legal permit. The Directorate of the Pavilniai Regional Park attempted to challenge the permit but was unsuccessful. Nausėda commented, "It's a shame that people till this day can't admit being wrong and that the court had acknowledged this as well. That time I showed good will and did not demand the court to ask money from them for a lawsuit that lasted for 2-3 years. But it seems people don't get that."

According to Vida Petiukonienė, the director of the Pavilniai Regional Park Directorate, despite experts confirming that the permit for a modern house in the park was not in accordance with the law, the court ordered them to reconcile the project. Petiukonienė expressed her dismay, stating, "This is the reality of life, this is how things work in this world, we can only feel sorry. The situation we are in is one of those ridiculous instances, a mockery of the country, laws, and people who go to work in order to commit to these laws. In other words, us."

7.2. Conflict of interest

President Nausėda faced criticism for his decision to visit his daughter, who was studying in South Korea, during an official state visit to Japan in 2019. This personal detour during an official trip raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest. Nausėda later apologized for the incident in 2023 during his announcement of seeking re-election, acknowledging that it was "fundamentally wrong."

7.3. The Whistleblower and the President controversy

In 2023, investigative journalists Dovydas Pancerovas and Birutė Davidonytė published a book titled The Whistleblower and the President (Pranešėjas ir Prezidentas^Lithuanian). The book contained revelations about unreported funding for Nausėda's presidential campaign and detailed his relationships with various business groups.

Following the book's publication, Members of Parliament from the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union claimed that an alleged conspiracy group, referred to as "the Statesmen," was attempting to discredit the incumbent president. They proposed an investigation into the activities of this purported "statesmen" group. Nausėda's team subsequently participated in the revival of this conspiracy theory. In January 2024, Frederikas Jansonas, Nausėda's chief advisor, alleged that delays in appointing ambassadors were due to sabotage by "statesmen," whom he claimed were allied with the Šimonytė Cabinet. Jansonas identified government members, such as Žygimantas Pavilionis, as individuals listed in a 2008 "List of the Statesmen." These allegations were, however, dismissed by Albinas Januška.

7.4. Communist Party membership controversy

In 2023, a significant controversy emerged when it was revealed that Gitanas Nausėda had been a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Documents, which identified him by a Russified form of his name, Gitanas Antanovich Nauseda, showed that he joined the CPSU on 20 May 1988, and received his party ticket on 27 June of the same year.

The information about his past membership was first uncovered by journalist Dovydas Pancerovas, working for Laisvės TV, who found the details in the Lithuanian State Historical Archives. The controversy intensified because Nausėda had not disclosed this information when filing his candidacy for the presidency, leading to public debate and criticism.

8.1. National honours

• Medal of Merit to Neringa's Municipality (2016)
• Lithuania: Grand Master and Grand Cross with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great (12 July 2019)

8.2. Foreign honours

• Ukraine: Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class (23 August 2021)
• Romania: Order of the Star of Romania (2022)
• Belgium: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (24 October 2022)
• Poland: Order of the White Eagle (5 July 2023)

8.3. Honorary doctorates

• Japan: Gifu University (24 October 2019)