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Inga Ruginienė

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Inga Ruginienė
Official portrait, 2024
Prime Minister of Lithuania
Designate
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentGitanas Nausėda
SucceedingRimantas Šadžius (acting)
Minister of Social Security and Labour
Incumbent
Assumed office
12 December 2024
Prime MinisterGintautas Paluckas
Rimantas Šadžius (acting)
Preceded byVytautas Šilinskas
Member of the Seimas
Incumbent
Assumed office
14 November 2024
ConstituencyMulti-member
President of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation
In office
4 May 2018 – 13 November 2024
Preceded byArtūras Černiauskas
Succeeded byAudrius Gelžinis (acting)
Personal details
Born
Inga Raitelaitytė

(1981-05-24) 24 May 1981 (age 44)
Trakai, Lithuanian SSR, USSR
Political partyLSDP (since 2024)[1]
SpouseVismantas Ruginis[2]
Children2
Alma materMykolas Romeris University
Vilnius University

Inga Ruginienė (née Raitelaitytė; born 24 May 1981) is a Lithuanian trade unionist and politician of the Social Democratic Party. She served as chairwoman of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation from 2018 to 2024, and as vice president of the European Trade Union Confederation from 2023 to 2024.[3][4] In the 2024 parliamentary election, she was elected member of the Seimas.[5] She has been serving as Minister of Social Security and Labour of Lithuania since 12 December 2024. In August 2025, Ruginienė was nominated by the Social Democrats as their candidate for Prime Minister of Lithuania following the resignation of Gintautas Paluckas.[6] On 26 August, Seimas approved her to be the next Prime Minister of Lithuania.[7]

Born in Trakai, Ruginienė graduated from Vilnius University in 2005 and later worked as a public health specialist at the State Environmental Health Center from 2005 to 2008 and then as Vilnius region director for the company "S Stata" from 2008 to 2010. In 2018, Ruginienė became the President of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation and served in the role until her resignation in 2024. She was also the Vice President of the European Trade Union Confederation from 2023 to 2024.

In 2024, Ruginienė joined the LSDP to participate in the parliamentary elections held that year. She was elected to the Seimas in November 2024 and the following month became the Minister of Social Security and Labour in the new LSDP government under Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas. On 4 August 2025, Paluckas resigned as prime minister following financial scandals and the LSDP nominated Ruginienė for prime minister two days later. Her nomination was subsequently confirmed by the Seimas on 26 August.

Biography

[edit]

Inga Ruginienė was born in Trakai on 24 May 1981.[8][4] She grew up in Grigiškės, but spent summers during her childhood in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk.[9][10] In 1999, she graduated from Šviesa Gymnasium [lt] in Grigiškės.[11]

In 2005, Ruginienė earned a master's degree in public health from Vilnius University.[8][4] She worked as a public health specialist at the State Environmental Health Center from 2005 to 2008.[8][4] Ruginienė worked as Vilnius region director for the company "S Stata" from 2008 to 2010.[8][4]

Ruginienė served as vice chair of the Lithuanian Federation of Forest and Wood Workers' Trade Unions from 2012 to 2014, and as chair from 2014 to 2018.[8][4] In 2015, Ruginienė earned a bachelor's degree in forest management from the Kaunas Forestry and Environmental Engineering College [lt].

Ruginienė served as chair of the Lithuanian Trade Union Confederation from 2018 to 2024.[8][4] In 2022, she earned a master's in labor law from Mykolas Romeris University.[8][4] She served as vice president of the European Trade Union Confederation from 2023 to 2024.[8][4]

Ruginienė entered electoral politics when she ran in the 2024 Lithuanian parliamentary election.[12][8][4] Her name appeared on the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party (LSDP) candidate list, though she was not an official member of any party at the time of the election.[12][13][14] Despite finishing in sixth place in the Naujininkai–Rasos single-seat constituency,[15] she secured a seat in the multi-mandate district of the Seimas due to her position in the party list.[16] She became an official member of the LSDP in November 2024, after the election.[13]

Following the Social Democrats' victory in the parliamentary election, Ruginienė became the Minister of Social Security and Labour.[17] She served in the Paluckas Cabinet from 12 December 2024 until its dissolution on 4 August 2025. After its dissolution, she served as acting minister.[18][19][20]

Within the Seimas, Ruginienė serves on the parliamentary committee on human rights.[21] She has also served as vice chair of the parliamentary group on forest conservation and as a member of the "against mass immigration", "friends of Neringa", and women's parliamentary groups.[4]

On 6 August 2025, the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party nominated Ruginienė for Prime Minister.[22] The nomination was approved on 26 August.[17]

Political positions

[edit]

According to Stasys Gudavičius, Ruginienė represents "left social democratic" political positions.[23]

Social issues

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Ruginienė supports same-sex unions and stated on 7 August that she would renew discussions on enshrining same-sex unions into law.[24] She supports the proposed Reproductive Health Law, which would make abortions free of charge and legalize medical abortions.[25]

Economics

[edit]

Ruginienė supports the buy-out of private shares in the energy holding company Ignitis. Describing her views on economics, she stated that "it's no secret that I represent left-wing politics, and I believe that the public sector should be strengthened and be more in the hands of the state."[26]

Defense

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Ruginienė has stated that she considers national security a priority. She has indicated that she would maintain the Paluckas Government's plan to increase defense spending to 5–6% of GDP.[27]

She has stated that it might be necessary for Lithuania to introduce universal military conscription.[28]

Foreign policy

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Ruginienė has expressed strong support for Ukraine in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian War.[10] In August 2025, she stated that she had no clear position as to whether Lithuania should send troops to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping force.[29]

Ruginienė has indicated that she wishes to normalize relations with China in line with the common foreign policy of the European Union, despite the fact that she sees China as a threat.[30] China downgraded bilateral relations with Lithuania following the opening of a Taiwanese Representative Office in Vilnius which used the name "Taiwan" instead of "Taipei".

Immigration

[edit]

Ruginienė is a member of the parliamentary group "against mass immigration".[4]

In January 2025, Ruginienė was interviewed about immigration on the TV station LRT televizija. She argued that migration should be more tightly controlled for security reasons, that Lithuania should focus on attracting skilled workers who will stay and contribute to the tax base, and that integration should be a priority.[31]

Personal life

[edit]

Inga Ruginienė is married to Vismantas Ruginis, a businessman who manages multiple publishing companies.[32][33] Her mother, Diana Raitelaitienė, serves as the chair of the Lithuanian Federation of Forest and Wood Workers' Trade Unions.[33] Some of Ruginienė's distant relatives live in Moscow, but she has stated that she does not have much contact with them.[10]

Ruginienė served as a first-aid instructor and volunteer at the Lithuanian Red Cross Society from 2004 to 2016, and served on its board from 2016 to 2019.[8][4] From 2021 to 2023 she served as a member of the council of the Kaunas Forestry and Environmental Engineering College.[8][4]

She speaks fluent Lithuanian, English and Russian.[8][4] Some commentators have noted that Ruginienė speaks Lithuanian with a slight Russian accent. Ruginienė attributes this to having grown up in a bilingual neighborhood of Vilnius and having spent a lot of time in her childhood in the majority Russian-speaking part of Ukraine.[10]

Ruginienė enjoys reading detective novels and has cited The Little Prince as one of her favorite books.[32] Her hobbies include travel and painting.[8][4]

References

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  1. ^ Andrulytė, Toma (6 August 2025). "Paaiškėjo, ką kandidatu į premjerus išrinko LSDP". TV3.lt (in Lithuanian).
  2. ^ Deveikis, Jonas (6 August 2025). "Kiek turto turi Ruginienė ir kokius verslus valdo jos vyras". LRT.lt (in Lithuanian).
  3. ^ "Į Seimą išrinkome 60 naujokų: kas jie?". 15min (in Lithuanian). 28 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Inga Ruginienė". Seimas (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  5. ^ "Naujame Seime dirbs 60 naujokų, tarp jų – Drukteinis, Ruginienė, Sinica, Ulbinaitė" (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian National Radio and Television. 28 October 2024.
  6. ^ "Sprendimas priimtas: socialdemokratai į premjerus deleguoja Ingą Ruginienę" (in Lithuanian). Lithuanian National Radio and Television. 6 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Inga Ruginienė iš arti: kas ji tokia ir kaip įskriejo į valdžios viršūnę". 15min.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 26 August 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "2024 parliamentary elections. Candidate biography: Inga RUGINIENĖ" (in Lithuanian). Central Electoral Commission. 2024.
  9. ^ Liubertaitė, Agnė (9 August 2025). "Lrytas apsilankė Grigiškėse, kur augo ir gyvena I. Ruginienė: ką apie ją sako gyventojai?". Lrytas.lt (in Lithuanian).
  10. ^ a b c d Jakučionis, Saulius (7 August 2025). "Lithuanian PM candidate Ruginienė addresses past trips to Russia, family ties to Ukraine". LRT.lt.
  11. ^ Griežė, Dominykas (8 August 2025). "Įdomios I. Ruginienės biografijos detalės: kas buvo jos tėvas ir kokią mokyklą baigė". Alfa.lt (in Lithuanian).
  12. ^ a b Lyberytė, Augustė (15 June 2024). "Profsąjungų vadovė Ruginienė kartu su LSDP kandidatuos į Seimą". LRT.lt (in Lithuanian).
  13. ^ a b Lėka, Aušra (8 August 2025). "LSDP – už nepatyrusią, bet populiarią lyderę". Kauno Diena (in Lithuanian).
  14. ^ Dobrovolskas, Ignas (16 November 2024). "Potencialia ministre įvardijama I. Ruginienė: keturių darbo dienų savaitė – neišvengiama (interviu)". diena.lt (in Lithuanian).
  15. ^ "2024 m. spalio 13 d. Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo rinkimai (I turas)". Central Electoral Commission. 2024.
  16. ^ "Išrinkti Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo nariais 2024–2028" (in Lithuanian). Central Electoral Commission. 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Trade union veteran becomes new Lithuanian PM". Politico Europe.
  18. ^ "Ruginienė: tikiu, kad darbais ir savo pasiryžimu galėsiu nuneigti bet kokias abejones". LRT.lt (in Lithuanian). 5 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Pradžia" (in Lithuanian). Ministry of Social Security and Labour. Archived from the original on 6 August 2025.
  20. ^ Gaidamavičius, Giedrius (13 August 2025). "I. Ruginienė ketina skirti dėmesį socialiniams reikalams, sveikatos paslaugoms, biudžetui". Bernardinai.lt (in Lithuanian).
  21. ^ "Žmogaus teisių komitetas - Komiteto nariai". Seimas (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  22. ^ Jakučionis, Saulius (6 August 2025). "Lithuania's Social Democrats nominate former trade unionist Ruginienė for prime minister". LRT.lt.
  23. ^ "Apžvalgininkas apie Ruginienę: tvirta, laikosi kairesnių socialdemokratinių pozicijų". LRT (in Lithuanian). 7 August 2025.
  24. ^ Konopackienė, Karolina (7 August 2025). "Ruginienė: man tapus premjere, diskusijos Seime dėl partnerystės įteisinimo bus atnaujintos". Delfi (in Lithuanian).
  25. ^ Paulauskaitė, Austėja (28 August 2025). "Ruginienė: sutarimą progresyviais klausimais gali būti sunku rasti ne tik su prezidentu". LRT (in Lithuanian).
  26. ^ "Ruginienė toliau stumia idėją dėl „Ignitis grupės"". LNK (in Lithuanian). 28 August 2025.
  27. ^ "PM-nominee Ruginienė says she'll stick to Lithuania's military spending targets". LRT.lt. 7 August 2025.
  28. ^ Stankevičius, Augustas (27 August 2025). "Lithuania 'may not be able to avoid' universal conscription – PM designate". LRT.lt.
  29. ^ "Incoming PM says she has no 'clear position' yet on sending Lithuanian troops to Ukraine". lrt.lt. 27 August 2025.
  30. ^ Venckūnas, Vilmantas; Skėrytė, Jūratė (27 August 2025). "Budrys to remain Lithuania's foreign minister, says mending ties with China remains a task". LRT.lt.
  31. ^ Jursevičius, Deividas (29 January 2025). "Ruginienė apie tamsiąją migracijos pusę: grėsmė Lietuvai ir nesumokami mokesčiai". LRT.lt (in Lithuanian).
  32. ^ a b "New Social Democrat candidate for prime minister: who is Inga Ruginienė?". LRT.lt. 7 August 2025.
  33. ^ a b "2024 parliamentary elections. Candidate's declared private interests: Inga RUGINIENĖ" (in Lithuanian). Central Electoral Commission. 2024.
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