Social Democrats (SD) ahead after Oct. 13 first-round vote in Lithuania

28/10/2024 5:57

        The opposition Social
        Democrats took an early lead in the second round of Lithuania's
        parliamentary election on Sunday, with voters focusing on
        concerns over the cost of living and potential threats from
        neighbouring Russia.
        
        Official government data showed the centre-left grouping
        leading with 33 seats after 64% of the vote was counted, on top
        of 20 secured in the first round, in the 141-member assembly,
        ahead of the ruling Homeland Union Party which led in six
        constituencies in addition to 18 first-round wins.
        
        The Baltic country of 2.9 million people has a hybrid voting
        system in which half of parliament is elected by popular vote.
        The remainder is decided in district-based run-off votes between
        the top two candidates, a process that favours the larger
        parties.
        
        If the Social Democrats (SD) succeed in forming a
        government, they are expected to maintain Lithuania's hawkish
        stance against Russia and hefty defence spending.
        
        Lithuania will spend about 3% of GDP on its armed forces
        this year, according to NATO estimates, making it the military
        alliance's sixth-biggest spender.
        
        Full results are expected at about midnight (2200 GMT).
        
        "Probably there will be some changes, but I want to believe
        that direction will remain the same," Marius Slepetis, a
        businessman, told Reuters after his young daughter dropped his
        ballot into the box.
        
        The SD won 20% of the vote in the first round on Oct. 13,
        making it the largest party ahead of the ruling Homeland Union
        with 18% and the anti-establishment Nemunas Dawn with 15%.
        
        Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's centre-right three-party
        coalition has seen its popularity eroded by inflation that
        topped 20% two years ago, deteriorating public services and a
        widening rich-poor gap.
        
        After the first round, SD leader Vilija Blinkeviciute said
        she was already in talks about forming a majority coalition
        government with two other parties - For Lithuania, and the
        Farmers and Greens Union.
        
        The SD made a pact with opposition parties to support all
        run-off candidates in contests against Simonyte's Homeland Union
        nominees.
        
        Domestic economic issues were in focus during the election
        campaign, with the SD vowing to tackle increased inequality by
        raising taxes on wealthier Lithuanians to help fund more
        spending on healthcare and social support.
        
        But national security is also a major concern in Lithuania,
        which lies on the eastern flank of NATO and the European Union
        and shares a border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and
        Belarus, a close Moscow ally.
        
        "For me, it's of utmost importance to keep the calmness, and
        to stop the war in Ukraine," said Mykolas Zvinys, 79, told
        Reuters before casting his vote on the outskirts of Vilnius.
        
        Three-quarters of Lithuanians think Russia could attack
        their country in the near future, a Baltijos Tyrimai/ELTA
        opinion poll found in May.