Lithuania holds run-off election with opposition seeking to cement win
World
Lithuania holds run-off election with opposition seeking to cement win
VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuanians were voting on Sunday in a parliamentary election dominated by concerns over the cost of living and potential threats from neighbouring Russia, with the opposition Social Democrats ahead after the first round.
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 left-leaning 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.
"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. 14, 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.
