Saulius Skvernelis
A former police chief turned prime minister, he steered Lithuania with a practical, no-nonsense approach rooted in public service rather than party politics.
Born 1970 (age 56)·Prime Minister of Lithuania·Birthday: July 23·Generation X
Biography
Saulius Skvernelis carved an unconventional path to Lithuania's highest office. Beginning his career in law enforcement, he rose to become the nation's police commissioner, earning a reputation for directness and administrative competence. This background, unusual for a head of government, propelled him into the role of Interior Minister before a coalition of rural and green interests, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, backed him for Prime Minister in 2016. His tenure, which lasted until 2020, was defined by a focus on social welfare, anti-corruption measures, and navigating complex relations with neighboring Russia. Skvernelis governed with the demeanor of a public manager, often eschewing the theatricality of traditional politics, which appealed to voters weary of establishment figures but sometimes left him isolated in a fractious parliament.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Saulius was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Saulius Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Saulius's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Prime Minister of Lithuania from 2016 to 2020, leading a coalition government.
- Became the first head of government in European history primarily backed by a green party, the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union.
- Previously served as Lithuania's Minister of the Interior from 2014 to 2016, overseeing police and border security.
- Held the position of Commissioner General of the Lithuanian Police Service prior to entering high-level politics.
Did You Know?
He is a trained lawyer, graduating from the Law University of Lithuania (now Mykolas Romeris University).
Before his political career, he spent over 15 years working within the Lithuanian police system.
He served as an independent politician for much of his time as Prime Minister, though backed by a party coalition.
“I came from the police, so I see the state through the lens of order and service.”
