Former LFMI’s President and long-time fellow Remigijus Simasius won the Vilnius City mayor’s post in Lithuania’s first direct mayoral elections, beating incumbent Mayor Arturas Zuokas in the March 15th run-off and securing 61 percent of the vote.
Many of you remember Remigijus from his long-time affiliation with the Lithuanian Free Market Institute. Remigijus joined LFMI in 1995 at the age of 21 to conduct policy research and advocacy on legal issues. He served as LFMI’s vice-president and director of research from 2004 until 2006 when he was appointed LFMI’s president. In 2008 Remigijus was appointed minister of justice in the conservatives-led cabinet and worked in the government for four years until 2012 when he was elected member of parliament.
In his capacity as both minister and MP Remigijus displayed a strong commitment to the principles of freedom and free society as well as a firm integrity in realizing these principles. Already at LFMI he was a great example of how to crystalize arguments and make them understandable to many, how to communicate free market ideas to the wider public in a positive and enlightened manner.
Remigijus’ election as Vilnius mayor has been a great proof of sound policy ideas winning over more and more voices, in spite of the prevailing overall skepticism in the free market. Notably, the elections proved to be very successful for the whole Liberal Movement who came out third in terms of mayoral and municipal council seats, just behind the traditionally strong conservatives. And so anecdotally, we have now witnessed scaremongering about LFMI “monopolizing liberalism,” in addition to earlier accusations of “monopolization of public policy making.”
We wish Remigijus the best of luck in keeping up his spirit, in bringing the principles of liberty into people’s everyday lives and creating ever stronger foundations from which greater prosperity and human flourishing can be built.
