Presidential election, 2 referendums kick off in Lithuania

The presidential election and two referendums kicked off in Lithuania Sunday with nine candidates running for the country's top job, including incumbent Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis.

A Lithuanian woman reads a ballot paper at a polling station during the first round of voting in presidential elections in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, May 12, 2019. [Photo: AP/Mindaugas Kulbis]

Polling stations are open from 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) to 8 p.m. (1700 GMT), with about 2.47 million eligible voters to cast their ballots.

So far economist Gitanas Nauseda, former Finance Minister Ingrida Simonyte, and Skvernelis led the race.

According to the last poll conducted by Baltijos tyrimai before the election, 21.1 percent of Lithuanians were to vote for Nauseda, compared with 19.5 percent for Simonyte and 18.4 percent for Skvernelis.

Lithuania's European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis ranked fourth with 6.6 percent.

Nauseda, running as an independent candidate, cast his vote on Friday, saying he voted for one that could ensure Lithuania "chooses the right path."

"I feel responsible as regards Lithuania's efforts to regain dignity, respect, to ensure Lithuania's firm position whether in foreign or domestic policy," Nauseda told reporters after casting his advance vote at Vilnius city municipality.

Simonyte, supported by Lithuania's main opposition party Homeland Union-Christian Democrats, and Skvernelis, backed by the ruling Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, are to vote on Sunday.

If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the votes, there will be a second round scheduled for May 26, alongside the country's elections to the European Parliament.

The incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite is to leave the office after completing her second term.

On Sunday, Lithuanians also vote in two referendums, one on the number of members in the country's parliament and the other on dual citizenship. Both decisions would change the country's Constitution.