2024-05-14 09:07:50
About 1,900 polling stations opened at 07:00 local time on Sunday for Lithuania’s eighth presidential election since independence.
As Day.Az reports with reference to TASS, simultaneously with the presidential elections, a referendum is being held on the introduction of the institution of dual citizenship.
Of the 2.889 million residents of the country and citizens of the Baltic republic abroad, 2,385 people have the right to vote. Their number, compared to the last presidential election in 2019, due to the unfavorable demographic situation, decreased by 99.7 thousand, or 4%.
The President of Lithuania is elected by direct secret ballot for a five-year term. For candidates, there is an age limit of 40 years, as well as the requirement to be a citizen of Lithuania by origin and have resided in the country for at least the last three years.
Eight candidates are vying for the post of head of state. Four of them were nominated by political parties, four were self-nominated. According to experts and according to sociological surveys, the favorites are the current president, 59-year-old Gitanas Nausėda, seeking a second term, the prime minister, 49-year-old Ingrida Simonytė, and the independent candidate, lawyer 48-year-old Ignas Wegele. To win, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes cast. If none of the contenders succeeds in doing this on May 12, a second round will take place two weeks later with the participation of the two leaders of the first stage.