Simonyte, Nauseda, Landsbergis ranked as Lithuania's most influential politicians – survey

VILNIUS – Lithuanian experts see Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, President Gitanas Nauseda and Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, leader of the conservative Homeland Union–Lithuanian Christian Democrats, as the country's most influential politicians, according to a survey published by the Delfi news website on Monday.

Next in the annual ranking is Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, the speaker of the parliament and the leader of the Liberal Movement, followed by Lithuania's first post-independence leader Vytautas Landsbergis.

The top ten also includes Lithuania's former presidents Valdas Adamkus and Dalia Grybauskaite, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas, ex-Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis, chairman of the opposition Democrats "For Lithuania", and Vilija Blinkeviciute, chairwoman of the opposition Social Democratic party.

The survey was carried out for Delfi by the magazine Reitingai, which interviewed 999 politicians, business people, civil servants, journalists, public figures and other well-known people between May 17 and June 19.

In a separate poll of members of the public, Nauseda was named the most influential politician, followed by Simonyte and Adamkus.

All politicians made it to the top ten in both polls, but differ in their position.

In the public opinion survey, Spinter Tyrimai polled 1,015 people aged between 18 and 75 years on June 19-30. 

Delfi has published the annual rankings of Lithuania's most influential people for the ninth consecutive year.