In the upcoming run-off election, current president Nauseda is the favorite among Lithuanian voters.
In the final round of voting, Nauseda went up against Ingrida Simonyte, who had obtained 20% of the votes in the initial phase. Simonyte had been a competitor of Nauseda during a previous run-off election in 2019, and lost that time as well. This time, Nauseda was seen as the undisputed front-runner.
The 60-year-old Nauseda, a former banker, is not affiliated with any political party but has been backed by the Social Democrats. On the other hand, the 49-year-old Simonyte has led Lithuania - a member of both the European Union and NATO - as the prime minister of a center-right coalition since 2020.
In the face of the ongoing war in Ukraine, security and defense were the primary concerns of the electorate. Both candidates believe that Lithuania should boost its defense spending. Lithuania is currently investing 2.75% of its GDP on defense. This week, Simonyte's administration suggested raising this percentage to 3%. The additional funds will be allocated to buying tanks and more air defense systems. Additionally, a German brigade is set to be stationed in the Baltic state, with the deployment of 5,000 German soldiers expected to be completed by 2027.
The president in Lithuania is responsible for imparting national security and foreign policy and representing the country at EU and NATO conferences. Nonetheless, they must collaborate with the government and parliament to appoint high-ranking officials.
The Kiel Institute for the World Economy has estimated that Lithuania is one of the top three countries worldwide in terms of financial aid contributions to Ukraine, standing at 1.22% of its GDP.
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Source: www.stern.de