Posted by The presidential election in Lithuania (17.05.2009) Sunday is devoted to economic decline.
Lithuania heads into Sunday’s election with its economy in shambles, having crashed amid the global financial turmoil along with neighbors Latvia and Estonia after years of steady growth that followed EU membership in 2004.
“I tried to do my best in Europe, but now my knowledge can be more useful and more needed in Lithuania today,” the 53-year-old presidential front-runner said in an interview Dalia Gryubauskaite.
Lithuania’s economy shrank nearly 13 percent in the last three months of 2008. Critics, including Grybauskaite, say the fall would have been less dramatic had the government shown more fiscal discipline during the years of growth.
“I was very active in advising the government how to manage and prepare the country for the problems that are coming, but my words were ignored,” she said.
Former Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas dismissed her warnings about inflation and spending by saying in an April 24, 2008 radio interview that “those who speak about crisis probably have crisis in their heads.”
Grybauskaite, a black-belt in karate, said she decided to run for president after a January protest in which a mob, angry over the economic downturn, attacked the parliament building in Vilnius, smashing windows and clashing with riot police.
“I told myself I cannot remain on the outside any longer,” she told AP. “I decided to run for president. If Lithuania wants me to return, I will.”
Running as a political independent, Grybauskaite has a strong lead over her rivals in pre-election polls. An April survey by the Baltijos Tyrimai pollster indicated 53 percent of 1,002 respondents would vote for her, compared with only 9 percent for the next closest candidate, Social Democrat Algirdas Butkevicius. No margin of error was given.
Those numbers suggest Grybauskaite could achieve a first-round victory on Sunday. If no one wins an outright majority, a runoff would be held June 7.
Political analyst Tomas Janeliunas said Grybauskaite is popular because she is considered a levelheaded caretaker, above the political fray in Lithuania.
Though Lithuania’s president has limited political powers, Grybauskaite said that if she wins she would be “directly involved” in helping the government deal with the crisis, “using all powers internal and external, including foreign policy, to do it.”
The election winner will replace President Valdas Adamkus, who has been widely popular due to his tough stance against neighboring Russia. Adamkus is stepping down this year after serving a second and final five-year term.
A look at Lithuania, which is holding a presidential election
Voters
2.6 million Lithuanians out of a population of 3.5 million are eligible to vote.
At stake
The presidency. Seven candidates are seeking to replace President Valdas Adamkus, who is finishing his second term. The winner must get an absolute majority. If no candidate gets an absolute majority, a run-off between the two top candidates will take place June 7.
Candidates
European Union’s budget commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite, a political independent, is leading the polls, with lawmaker Algirdas Butkevicius of the opposition Social Democrats a distant second. Three other opposition members are also in the running: Loreta Grauziniene of the Labor Party, Valentinas Mazuronis from the Order and Justice Party, Voldemaras Tomasevskis from the Lithuanian Polish Election Campaign. Former Agriculture Minister Kazimira Prunskiene and retired general Ceslovas Jezerskas are also competing.
History
The Lithuanian state was established in 1236. The country was absorbed by czarist Russia in 1795, and remained under Russian control until the end of World War in 1918. Lithuania was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, invaded by Nazi Germany in 1941 and reoccupied by the Soviets in 1944. Lithuania regained independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Lithuania joined NATO and the European Union in 2004.
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