Lithuanian PM would be best LFGU presidential candidate – leader

VILNIUS – Ramunas Karbauskis, leader of the ruling Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, says Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis would be the party's best candidate in the upcoming presidential election next year.

"I really don't see any better candidates if Skvernelis wanted and agreed to stand for election. His leadership is obvious, the government is working successfully," Karbauskis told BNS Lithuania on Tuesday.

He's also convinced that Skvernelis would definitely win the presidential election as all the other potential candidates do not seem to be "the nation's candidates".

"He is considered by the public as a person capable of running the country," the LFGU leader said.

Skvernelis, however, said last week it was too soon to speak about him running for president.

The prime minister told the national radio LRT on Tuesday that the LFGU, working in a coalition with the Social Democratic Labor Party of Lithuania, would look for the ruling coalition's single candidate.

Economy Minister Virginijus Sinkevicius, representing the LFGU, said earlier the party sees Skvernelis as their sole candidate in the upcoming presidential election and does not have any alternative candidates.

The latest public poll by Spinter Tyrimai showed in June that Skvernelis would came in fourth in the upcoming presidential election as 6.3 percent would vote for him. Economist Gitanas Nauseda came out as the poll leader, followed by Kaunas Mayor Visvaldas Matijosaitis and former diplomat Vygaudas Usackas of the opposition conservative Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.

Lithuania will elect a new president in May.