 |
Laurynas KasciunasMinister of Defense of Lithuania
Date of Birth: 08.01.1982
Country:  Lithuania |
Content:
- Lauras Kasčiūnas: Lithuanian Politician and Political Scientist
- Early Life and Education
- Political Career
- Personal Life
Lauras Kasčiūnas: Lithuanian Politician and Political Scientist
Lauras Kasčiūnas is a prominent Lithuanian political figure and political scientist. He has served as a member of the Seimas, the Lithuanian parliament, since 2016 and is the current chair of the Committee on National Security and Defense.
Early Life and Education
Kasčiūnas was born on January 8, 1982, in Vilnius. He graduated from Vilnius' Ažuolijos Secondary School in 2000 and the Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences at Vilnius University in 2006. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Political Science in 2004, a Master's degree in Political Science in 2006, and defended his doctoral dissertation on "The Impact of the EU's Internal Integration on the External Europization: The Cases of Ukraine and Russia" in 2012, receiving a Doctorate in Political Science. Kasčiūnas is fluent in Lithuanian, English, Russian, and German.
Political Career
Kasčiūnas began his political career in 2003 when he joined the Lithuanian National Democratic Party, serving as vice-chairman under Mindaugas Gervaldas. From 2004 to 2016, he conducted analytical work at various research centers.
In 2007, Kasčiūnas became the editor of the EU and NATO section of the Lithuanian magazine Veidas. He also taught at Vilnius University's Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences from 2007 to 2016.
From 2009 to 2012, Kasčiūnas served as the foreign policy advisor to Irena Degutienė, the Speaker of the Seimas. He became the Director of the Eastern Europe Studies Center from 2012 to 2016.
On October 23, 2016, Kasčiūnas was elected to the Seimas as a member of the conservative Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats. He was re-elected on October 25, 2020.
Personal Life
Lauras Kasčiūnas is married to Monika and they have four children: Mantas, Gerda, Liepa, and Rapolas.
