Vilija Blinkevičiūtė
MEP
Blinkevičiūtė in 2012
Chairwoman of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania
Assumed office
29 May 2021
Preceded byGintautas Paluckas
Vice Chairwoman of European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Assumed office
18 July 2019
Chairwoman of European Parliament Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
In office
25 January 2017 – 1 July 2019
Vice Chairwoman of European Parliament Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
In office
7 July 2014 – 18 January 2017
Member of European Parliament
Assumed office
14 July 2009
ConstituencyLithuania
Member of the Seimas
In office
17 November 2008 – 28 June 2009
Succeeded byMarija Aušrinė Pavilionienė
ConstituencyMulti-member
In office
15 November 2004 – 17 November 2008
Preceded byAlvydas Medalinskas
Succeeded byAudronius Ažubalis
ConstituencyŠeškinė
Minister for Social Security and Labour of Lithuania
In office
9 November 2000 – 9 December 2008
Prime MinisterRolandas Paksas
Algirdas Mykolas Brazauskas
Gediminas Kirkilas
Preceded byIrena Degutienė
Succeeded byRimantas Dagys
Personal details
Born (1960-03-03) 3 March 1960
Linkuva, Lithuania
Political partyNew Union (Social Liberals)
(2002–2006)
Social Democratic Party of Lithuania (since 2006)
Alma materVilnius University
Websiteweb.archive.org/web/20160201094357/http://www.blinkeviciute.eu/

Vilija Blinkevičiūtė (born 3 March 1960) is a Lithuanian lawyer and politician, Member of the European Parliament and former long-term Minister for Social Security and Labour. Blinkevičiūtė is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania since 2006.[1][2]

Early life and education

Blinkevičiūtė was born in Linkuva, Lithuania. After graduation with honours from Linkuva Secondary School, she entered law faculty of the Vilnius State University, from which she graduated in 1983, having obtained the qualification of Master of Laws.

Political career

Since 1983, Blinkevičiūtė has dedicated all her professional life to working in the Ministry of Social Security and Labour until she turned to politics and became a Vice Minister of Social Security and Labour in 1996.

In 2000 Blinkevičiūtė was appointed as Minister for Social Security and Labour, first in the government of Prime Minister Rolandas Paksas. She remained in the post until 2008.[1]

Between 2004 and 2009 Blinkevičiūtė was member of Seimas.

In 2021 she became the chairman of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party.[3]

2008 Crisis

On the eve of the 2008 economic crisis, she was the Minister of Social Security and Labour. The Budget and Finance Committee of Seimas, established 11 years later, which investigated the causes of the crisis, accused V. Blinkevičiūtė of "reckless increase of pensions" and violations of fiscal discipline, which contributed to the deep economic recession in the country.[4]

Member of the European Parliament, 2009–present

In 2009 and in 2014 Blinkevičiūtė has been elected to the European Parliament, as the representative of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania. In the European Parliament, she belongs to the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

Following the 2014 elections, Blinkevičiūtė became a Vice-Chair of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM); she was elected the Chair of the committee in January 2017.

In addition, Blinkevičiūtė is a full member of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) and of the Delegation to Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, and a substitute member of the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee. She also belongs to the Intergroup on Disability and the Intergroup on Children’s Rights[5] and to the Intergroup on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.[6]

Recognition

In 2004 Blinkevičiūtė was bestowed with the Cross of Commander of the Order for Merits to Lithuania.

References

  1. 1 2 "Vilija Blinkevičiūtė" (in Lithuanian). Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "Vilija BLINKEVIČIŪTĖ". Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. ↑ MEP Blinkevičiūtė wins leadership of Lithuania's social democrats
  4. ↑ Paaiškėjo pirmosios krizės tyrimo išvados: kliuvo bankams ir prezidentei
  5. ↑ Members of the European Parliament Intergroup on Children’s Rights European Parliament.
  6. ↑ Members European Parliament Intergroup on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.
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