Lithuania will go to the polls on Sunday as Russia’s aggression in Ukraine fuels growing concerns about Moscow’s intentions towards the Baltics.
The undisputed favorite in the upcoming presidential election is the incumbent head of state, Gitanas Nausėda, who, according to the latest polls, is expected to take 29.1% of the vote.
Holding office since 2019, he has been a strong supporter of Ukraine and has also taken in refugees fleeing both Belarus and Russia.
But with eight other candidates in the running, it is unlikely that any of them, including him, will secure the 50% needed to win outright, meaning a runoff will be held two weeks later, on May 26.
The main role of the president is to oversee foreign and security policy, and to act as supreme commander of the armed forces.
This role has taken on increased importance as the country is now seen as a strategic location on NATO’s eastern flank, amid increased fears about Russia.
Lithuania, along with Latvia and Estonia, declared independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union and have since all joined the European Union and NATO, a move that has angered the Kremlin.
Russia accused the Baltic states of ‘hostility’ for cutting ties with Moscow at the beginning of May. It added that severing diplomatic ties would be unfortunate for Russian-speaking people living in the Baltic countries, including Russian citizens.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “Stopping the activities of diplomatic missions in such a situation would amount to leaving our citizens and hundreds of thousands of compatriots at the mercy of arbitrary action by the police.”
Dual citizenship referendum
In a move to prevent Lithuania’s Russian-speaking community (around 5% of the population) from getting Russian citizenship, Lithuania will also be holding a referendum on citizenship alongside its presidential election.
A new law, which has already been drafted, specifies ‘friendly countries’ it says would be suitable for dual Lithuanian citizenship, namely members of the EU, the European Economic Area, the OECD, and NATO.
Crucially, Lithuanian citizens will not be able to retain their citizenship if they are also nationals of Russia or Belarus or “any other political, military, economic, or other alliances established on the basis of the former USSR.”
Holding office since 2019, he has been a strong supporter of Ukraine and has also taken in refugees fleeing both Belarus and Russia.
But with eight other candidates in the running, it is unlikely that any of them, including him, will secure the 50% needed to win outright, meaning a runoff will be held two weeks later, on May 26.
The main role of the president is to oversee foreign and security policy, and to act as supreme commander of the armed forces.
This role has taken on increased importance as the country is now seen as a strategic location on NATO’s eastern flank, amid increased fears about Russia.
Lithuania, along with Latvia and Estonia, declared independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union and have since all joined the European Union and NATO, a move that has angered the Kremlin.
Russia accused the Baltic states of ‘hostility’ for cutting ties with Moscow at the beginning of May. It added that severing diplomatic ties would be unfortunate for Russian-speaking people living in the Baltic countries, including Russian citizens.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: “Stopping the activities of diplomatic missions in such a situation would amount to leaving our citizens and hundreds of thousands of compatriots at the mercy of arbitrary action by the police.”
Dual citizenship referendum
In a move to prevent Lithuania’s Russian-speaking community (around 5% of the population) from getting Russian citizenship, Lithuania will also be holding a referendum on citizenship alongside its presidential election.
A new law, which has already been drafted, specifies ‘friendly countries’ it says would be suitable for dual Lithuanian citizenship, namely members of the EU, the European Economic Area, the OECD, and NATO.
Crucially, Lithuanian citizens will not be able to retain their citizenship if they are also nationals of Russia or Belarus or “any other political, military, economic, or other alliances established on the basis of the former USSR.”
Source: LRT/AP/err.ee
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