Turnout in Sunday’s presidential election in Lithuania was 59.37%, the highest in the country since 1997, reported the Lithuanian national television LRT.
Overall, this is the third highest turnout in Lithuania’s history, following the first presidential election when 78.6% of voters took part, and in 1997, when the figure stood at 71.45%.
As per the provisional results, with 40.1% of votes counted so far, the incumbent Gitanas Nausėda has received 266,223 votes. He is followed by the Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė who has received 79,693 votes. In total, eight candidates are running for the presidency.
Lithuanian Police Commissioner General Renatas Požėla said that Sunday’s vote “was one of the most peaceful.” The police recorded no significant violations, and no investigations were launched, he added.
Voting booths opened at 07:00 on Sunday and closed at 20:00 (Local Time).
Referendum on dual citizenship
Along with the presidential election, there was also a referendum vote on the establishment of dual citizenship in Lithuania. Lina Petronienė, chairwoman of the Central Electoral Commission (VRK), has stated that the counting of ballots in the presidential election will precede the tallying of the citizenship referendum results.
Due to the high turnout, the process of ballot counting may take longer, she added. Preliminary results for the presidential election are anticipated to arrive after midnight (local time).
Currently, approximately 16% of the ballots in the citizenship referendum have been counted, revealing a substantial majority in favor of the constitutional amendment: 73% “yes” compared to 27% “no.”
Nevertheless, the adoption of the amendment necessitates the support of at least half of all eligible voters, totaling 1.19 million. With a turnout of 59%, this implies that 86% of the cast ballots must indicate “yes.”
A referendum on the issue was already organized in 2019, but the turnout was too low then for the result to be binding.
Currently, dual citizenship in Lithuania can only be granted to those who left the country before it regained independence in 1990 and their descendants. Such a right does not apply to those who left Lithuania after March 11, 1990.
Lithuania is one of five European Union countries that do not allow its citizens to hold another country’s passport.
As per the provisional results, with 40.1% of votes counted so far, the incumbent Gitanas Nausėda has received 266,223 votes. He is followed by the Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė who has received 79,693 votes. In total, eight candidates are running for the presidency.
Lithuanian Police Commissioner General Renatas Požėla said that Sunday’s vote “was one of the most peaceful.” The police recorded no significant violations, and no investigations were launched, he added.
Voting booths opened at 07:00 on Sunday and closed at 20:00 (Local Time).
Referendum on dual citizenship
Along with the presidential election, there was also a referendum vote on the establishment of dual citizenship in Lithuania. Lina Petronienė, chairwoman of the Central Electoral Commission (VRK), has stated that the counting of ballots in the presidential election will precede the tallying of the citizenship referendum results.
Due to the high turnout, the process of ballot counting may take longer, she added. Preliminary results for the presidential election are anticipated to arrive after midnight (local time).
Currently, approximately 16% of the ballots in the citizenship referendum have been counted, revealing a substantial majority in favor of the constitutional amendment: 73% “yes” compared to 27% “no.”
Nevertheless, the adoption of the amendment necessitates the support of at least half of all eligible voters, totaling 1.19 million. With a turnout of 59%, this implies that 86% of the cast ballots must indicate “yes.”
A referendum on the issue was already organized in 2019, but the turnout was too low then for the result to be binding.
Currently, dual citizenship in Lithuania can only be granted to those who left the country before it regained independence in 1990 and their descendants. Such a right does not apply to those who left Lithuania after March 11, 1990.
Lithuania is one of five European Union countries that do not allow its citizens to hold another country’s passport.
Source: LRT, PAP, TVP World
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