Lithuania's CEC announces presidential runoff, confirms referenda results

VILNIUS – Lithuania's Central Electoral Commission on Thursday announced the presidential runoff and also confirmed the results of two referenda held on May 12.

MP and former Finance Minister Ingrida Simonyte, nominated by the opposition conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats, will face economist Gitanas Nauseda, an independent candidate, in the presidential runoff on May 26.

Simonyte received 31.31 percent of votes in the first round of voting and 30.94 percent voted for Nauseda.

The CEC also confirmed the results of the two referenda which were held alongside the first round of voting in the presidential election.

Voter turnout in the referendum on amending Article 12 of the Constitution and expanding dual citizenship stood at 53.16 percent but the proposed amendment was not adopted as the number of votes was insufficient. 72.35 percent of all voters who came to vote, or 956,564 votes, voted in favor of the proposed amendment, and 25.53 percent voted against.

The amendment needed at least half of all eligible voters, or 1,236,203, to vote in favor for it to be adopted.

Meanwhile, the second referendum on reducing the number of MPs to 121, from the existing 141, failed due to low voter turnout. Although 73.77 percent voted in favor of reducing the number of lawmakers, the referendum failed as the turnout stood at 47.79 percent, instead of the necessary turnout of over 50 percent.

If the turnout requirement had been met, the referendum would have taken place as the second precondition was met and 876,841 people voted in favor, compared to the necessary minimum of 824,135 people.