Lithuania’s Nauseda eyes re-election in run-off overshadowed by Russia | Politics Information

Incumbent president says he sees Russia as an ‘enemy’ and has accused Moscow of making an attempt to destabilise Vilnius.

Lithuania is holding its presidential election, with incumbent Gitanas Nauseda anticipated to win after a marketing campaign dominated by safety issues within the post-Soviet state.

Sunday’s vote is a rematch between Nauseda and his closest rival, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, who has additionally promised to maintain the nation’s insurance policies pro-European.

The Baltic nation of two.8 million individuals has been a staunch ally of Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Like different international locations within the area, the NATO and European Union member worries it might be Moscow’s subsequent goal.

Nauseda, 60, a former senior economist with the Swedish banking group SEB who will not be affiliated with any social gathering, gained the primary spherical of the election on Could 12 with 44 % of the votes, wanting the 50 % he wanted for an outright victory.

He’s working towards Simonyte, 49, from the governing centre-right Homeland Union social gathering that has been trailing in opinion polls. She was the one lady out of eight candidates within the first spherical and got here second with 20 %.

Greater than half of Lithuanians imagine a Russian assault is feasible or very probably, in accordance with an ELTA/Baltijos Tyrimai ballot performed between February and March. Russia has usually dismissed the concept it would assault a NATO member.

Nauseda instructed a debate on Tuesday he sees Russia as an enemy.

“Our enemies – who even name themselves our enemies, who’re enemies of us and all of the democratic world – try to destabilise our politics, and we should do all to withstand.”

Each Nauseda and Simonyte assist rising defence spending to at the very least 3 % of Lithuania’s gross home product, from the two.75 % deliberate for this yr.

However Nauseda, who’s a social conservative, has clashed with Simonyte on different points, together with whether or not to offer authorized recognition to same-sex civil partnerships, which Nauseda opposes. He has mentioned it will make such unions too much like marriage, which Lithuania’s structure permits just for a person and a girl.

Simonyte, a former finance minister and monetary hawk, mentioned on Thursday that if she gained, “the path for the nation – pro-European, pro-Western – wouldn’t change”.

“However I would love faster progress, extra openness and understanding, bigger tolerance to people who find themselves completely different from us,” she added.

Lithuania’s president has a semi-executive function, which incorporates heading the armed forces, chairing the supreme defence and nationwide safety coverage physique and representing the nation at EU and NATO summits.

The president units international and safety coverage in tandem with the federal government, can veto legal guidelines and has a say within the appointment of key officers corresponding to judges, the chief prosecutor, the chief of defence and the top of the central financial institution.

The uneasy relationship between Nauseda and Simonyte has at instances triggered international coverage debates, most notably on Lithuania’s relations with China.

Bilateral ties turned tense in 2021, when Vilnius allowed Taiwan to open a de facto embassy below the island’s title, a departure from the widespread diplomatic apply of utilizing the title of the capital, Taipei, to keep away from angering Beijing.

China, which considers self-ruled Taiwan part of its territory, downgraded diplomatic relations with Vilnius and blocked its exports, main some Lithuanian politicians to induce a restoration of relations for the sake of the financial system.

Will probably be the second time Nauseda and Simonyte have competed in a presidential run-off. In 2019, Nauseda beat Simonyte with 66 % of the vote.