Social Democrats pick lawyer Martinaitis for Klaipėda mayoral race

The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party’s Klaipėda branch has chosen lawyer Jurijus Martinaitis as its candidate for mayor of the port city, LRT reported, citing Vakarų ekspresas.

Martinaitis won the party’s candidate selection by a majority of votes. Deputy Finance Minister Kęstutis Kvaraciejus came second.

Martinaitis has a legal education and represents several companies in Klaipėda in his professional work. He is also a shareholder in several local companies.

Other parties have named candidates for the mayoral race: the Liberal Movement has selected Arturas Trušas, the Lithuanian Peasant and Green Union has put forward Romas Karmazinas, the National Alliance has chosen Dovilas Petkus, the Union of the People and Justice has named Naglis Puteikis, and the Union of Democrats “For Lithuania” has selected Rasa Bekėžienė.

Gintaras Neniškis, a former director of Klaipėda Passenger Transport and former head of the city’s municipal administration, has established a new political committee, Klaipėda Wave, which plans to contest both the city council and mayoral elections.

Direct elections for mayors and municipal councils are scheduled for March 7 next year. Voters will elect 60 mayors and 1,494 council members. In the 2023 local elections, political committees won 194 seats, including mayoral posts.