Mykolas Majauskas
Mykolas Majauskas (born 19 December 1981) is a Lithuanian politician, a member of the Seimas, a former Vilnius city councillor and an accused sex offender. He was expelled from Homeland Union in November 2022.[1]
Mykolas Majauskas | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Seimas | |
| In office 13 November 2020 – 6 April 2023 | |
| Succeeded by | Kęstutis Navickas |
| Constituency | Multi-member |
| In office 14 November 2016 – 12 November 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Arvydas Anušauskas |
| Succeeded by | Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen |
| Constituency | Senamiestis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 December 1981 Vilnius, Lithuania |
| Political party | Independent (2022-present) Homeland Union (2013-2022) |
| Spouse | Ieva Domarkaitė (m.2008; d.2018) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney |
Biography edit
Mykolas Majauskas was born 19 December 1981 in Vilnius and raised there. After the first course of study in Lithuania, he moved to Australia, where he graduated from the University of Sydney in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in economics and finance. He later moved to London, where he worked for Barclays Bank advising governments of Central and Eastern Europe on how to manage their debts during the crisis.
He later worked as advisor to the prime minister Andrius Kubilius for four years.
Between 2013 and 2014 he was shadow minister of finance of Homeland Union.
In 2015, he participated in the elections of Lithuanian municipal councils and ran for the Mayor of Vilnius.
In November 2016 Majauskas became a Member of the Seimas for Senamiestis constituency.
In 2020 Lithuanian parliamentary election Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen defeated Majauskas in the Senamiestis constituency and he was elected to Seimas in multi-member constituency through Homeland Union list. In November 2020 he became the Chairman of the Committee of the Budget and Finance of Seimas and had resigned after no-confidence vote after he was expelled from the Homeland Union in December 2022.[2] In 30 March 2023 Majauskas announced that he will relinquish his mandate at the Seimas[3] and resigned later in April that year.
Sexual violence allegations, #MeToo edit
While cultivating a public image of a family man and a fighter against domestic violence, in 2018 Majauskas was accused by a schoolgirl (aged 18 at the time) of making sexual advances in his apartment after plying her with copious amounts of alcohol at a bar (a date rape).[4] She mentioned knowing at least four other schoolgirls who have been attacked by Majauskas in the same way. Allegations were corroborated by a victim who waived her right to privacy and was publicly named; she described a pattern, extending over at least five years, of Majauskas hosting alcohol-fueled house parties with schoolgirls.[5] The name of the woman who first came forward with the allegations has never been publicly disclosed by the media due to fears of retaliation;[6] Majauskas survived two impeachment attempts in the Lithuanian Parliament,[7] thus allegations did not go to court and Majauskas never admitted guilt, however he was shortly divorced by his wife and mother of their 2 daughters.[8] He was also accused of intimidating the victims. [9] Shortly after the divorce he announced engagement to a woman 12 years his junior, a former personal assistant.[10] They have a son together. [11]
During the unfolding scandal, Majauskas paused his membership of the party.
The scandal was one of the first ones to galvanize Lithuania's Me Too movement.[12] Following the scandal Majauskas did not resign from his parliamentary seat, continued his political career and remains[citation needed] a catalyst for the Lithuanian chapter of WEF Global Shapers.
Bribery allegations edit
In December 2022 it was alleged within a parliamentary corruption inquiry that Majauskas was paid the "cash equivalent of a two-room apartment" for supporting legislation favoring a chain of gambling parlors. Matas Maldeikis, a fellow MP, officially testified he was told so by the middleman during his own attempted €50,000 bribery on behalf of the same beneficiary in June 2021.[13][14][15]
Majauskas survived his 3rd impeachment attempt in December 2022, this time due to absence of a quorum.[16]
References edit
- ^ "Conservative party to expel Majauskas". Delfi.lt. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
- ^ "Chairman of Committee on Budget and Finance resigns after no-confidence vote". LRT.lt. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Majauskas will relinquish MP's mandate". Delfi.lt. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ "Seimo konservatorius M.Majauskas kaltinamas seksualiniu priekabiavimu, G.Landsbergis kreipiasi į prokurorus". 15min.lt. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Mykolo Majausko versija trupa: dar viena mergina pasakoja, kad vakarėliai su moksleiviais kartais baigdavosi jo bute". 15min.lt. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "I. Makaraitytė: atskleidus M. Majauską seksualiniu priekabiavimu apkaltinusios merginos tapatybę, ją būtų suvalgę". lrt.lt. 7 October 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Dar kartą sieks inicijuoti apkaltą M.Majauskui". respublika.lt. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Po priekabiavimo skandalo Seimo narys M. Majauskas skiriasi su žmona". alfa.lt. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "S.Jakeliūnas: M.Majauskas grasino merginoms, liudijusioms apie vakarėlius jo bute". 15min.lt. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Mykolas Majauskas pristatė mylimąją: širdį užkariavo gerokai jaunesnė buvusi padėjėja Seime". 15min.lt. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Mykolas Majauskas ir Lina Svidinskaitė susilaukė sūnaus". lrytas.lt. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "#MeToo Seime: kaltinimai nederamu seksualiniu elgesiu – konservatoriui Mykolui Majauskui". delfi.lt. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- ^ "Konservatoriai kelia vis daugiau klausimų dėl Majausko". Vakarų ekspresas, ELTA. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- ^ "Konservatoriai kelia vis daugiau klausimų dėl Majausko: prisiminė, kad BFK pirmininko pavardė yra korupcinės bylos liudijimuose". LRT. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
- ^ "A pre-trial investigation has been launched into an attempt to bribe a member of the Seimas". STT. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- ^ "Valdantiesiems boikotavus, nepasitikėjimo Majausku procedūra žlugo". Delfi.lt. Retrieved 6 December 2022.