The second round of presidential elections on May 24th will have two contenders – economist, independent candidate Gitanas Nausėda and Ingrida Šimonytė, former finance minister in ex-prime minister V. Kubilius’ cabinet, backed by the Tėvynės sąjunga-Lithuanian Christian Democratic party.
The Election Commission of Lithuania announced the results of the presidential election and two referendums which took place on May 12. In total, 56.85% of eligible voters participated in the first round of voting. Especially active were Lithuanian citizens living abroad. According to Election Commission results, the candidates vying in the second round on May 26 will be Gitanas Nausėda and Ingrida Šimonytė, who garnered the most votes and the most support in Vilnius and Kaunas. Gitanas Nausėda’s supporters voted for him in the majority of other municipalities (46), especially Klaipėda, Šiauliai and Alytus.
In tandem with the presidential election, voters participated in two referendums: one on the reduction of seats in parliament, and one on dual citizenship. For a referendum to be valid, it must be voted on by no less than half of eligible voters. The referendum on dual citizenship was voted on by 51.72% of eligible voters, and was considered valid, but there were not enough votes to pass the required amendment to the Constitution, as less than three quarters of voters cast their votes. Thus the article of the Constitution governing citizenship remains unchanged.
The referendum on the reduction of parliamentary seats would have been deemed valid if no fewer than 825,135 voters had cast their ballots, but less than half of eligible voters participated, therefore the referendum was not deemed valid.
