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

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 former President Valdas Adamkus.  

The top ten also includes Lithuania's first post-independence leader Vytautas Landsbergis, former President Dalia Grybauskaite, Saulius Skvernelis, a former prime minister and the leader of the opposition For Lithuania party, Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas, and Laurynas Kasciunas, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on National Security and Defense.  

The survey was carried out for Delfi by the magazine Reitingai, which interviewed 925 politicians, business people, civil servants, journalists, public figures and other well-known people between May 17 and June 23.

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

Nine of ten politicians made it to the top ten in both polls, but differ in their position. The public opinion poll placed Ramunas Karbauskis, the leader of the Farmers and Greens Union, at number ten and Kasciunas in 31st position. 

In the public opinion survey, Spinter Tyrimai polled 1,013 people aged between 18 and 75 years on July 18-25. 

Delfi has published the annual rankings of Lithuania's most influential people for eight years now.