Jānis Šmits

Jānis Šmits (1 April 1968 – 23 September 2019) was a Latvian politician and Lutheran pastor.

Šmits graduated from the University of Latvia Faculty of Theology in 1997 and subsequently served in a number of Latvian Lutheran churches.

Following the creation of the party he became one of the members of the executive board and advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister on Religious affairs.

He was also Secretary to the Council of Religious Affairs and actively promoted the re-establishment of laws regulating church and state relations.

In 2004 he became as a member of Parliament, Secretary General of Saeima as well as the Chairman of the National Security Commission.