Algirdas Butkevičius


Algirdas Butkevičius is a former Prime Minister of Lithuania, serving between 2012 and 2016. He also served as the Minister of Finance from 2004 to 2005 and the Minister of Transport and Communications from 2006 to 2008. He led the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania from 2009 to 2017.

Political career

Butkevičius was born at :lt:Paežeriai |Paežeriai village in Radviliškis district municipality. Since 1992 he is member of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania. He was Chairman of Vilkaviškis Department of the LSDP in 1995–1997, Deputy Chairman of the LSDP in 1999–2005, and Chairman of the LSDP since 2009.
In 1996 and 2000, he was elected to the Seimas. From 2004 to 2005 he served as Minister of Finance and from 2006 to 2008 as Minister of Transport and Communications.
Butkevičius was the LSDP candidate in the 2009 presidential election, placing second with 11.83% of the votes. As of 2010, he is the chairman of the LSDP.
During the 2012 parliamentary election, Butkevičius was among the few candidates who were elected in the first round of the popular vote.
On 22 November 2012 he was elected by the Seimas to be Prime Minister-designate. He was appointed as Prime Minister by presidential decree on 7 December 2012 and his cabinet was sworn on 13 December, following the approval of the governmental program by Parliament.

Education and career timeline

In addition to his native Lithuanian, he speaks fluent Russian. His wife is Janina, and they have one daughter, Indrė.