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Ausrine ArmonaiteLithuanian statesman, political scientist
Date of Birth: 26.05.1989
Country:  Lithuania |
Content:
Early Life and Education
Austėja Armonaitė was born in Vilnius, Lithuania, in 1989. From 2004 to 2008, she attended the Mykolas Biržiška Gymnasium. In 2010, she became the president of the Lithuanian Liberal Youth, having joined the organization as a teenager. After graduating high school, Armonaitė pursued a bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Vilnius' Institute of International Relations and Political Science in 2012. She went on to obtain a master's degree in public policy analysis from the same institution in 2014.
Political Career
In 2016, Armonaitė ran for the Seimas (Lithuanian parliament) on behalf of the Liberal Movement. She was included on the party's national list and was elected to parliament after the vote, taking her seat on November 14, 2016. Following her election, she was appointed as deputy chair of the Committee on European Affairs and also served on the Committee on Foreign Affairs. In 2017, she became deputy chair of the Liberal Movement.
In 2018, Armonaitė announced her departure from the Liberal Movement and operated as an independent politician in parliament. She later joined the newly formed social-liberal and progressive Freedom Party and was elected as its chair. Despite her party affiliation, she remained an independent member of parliament as the party failed to secure any seats in the previous election. On November 18, 2020, Ingrida Šimonytė confirmed her intention to appoint Armonaitė as minister of economy and innovation in her cabinet.
Policy Positions
Armonaitė is a staunch opponent of nationalism and acknowledges the moral responsibility of the Lithuanian people for the genocide of the Jewish population during the Nazi occupation of Lithuania. She supports the demand for compensation from the Russian Federation for the Soviet occupation and backs sanctions to "protect human rights," while recognizing potential economic losses. She has also advocated for the right of citizens to bear arms in self-defense before the Constitutional Court.
Personal Life
Armonaitė is married to Edgaras Stanišauskas, whom she met while participating in the Lithuanian Liberal Youth in 2009. She is proficient in English and graduated from music school in piano. She played basketball for eight years and enjoys reading socio-political literature, foreign policy, music, and rollerblading.
