LVŽS will not endorse Nausėda in runoff voting

Leader of the Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union (LVŽS) Ramūnas Karbauskis admitted defeat of presidential candidate Ignas Vėgėlė in the first round. The party had endorsed lawyer Vėgėlė, an independent candidate, in Lithuania’s presidential election held on 12 May.

Former MP Karbauskis told ELTA that his party would not back Nausėda in runoff voting.

„The outcome of the second round seems to be clear already. If there was intrigue, of course, we would express our endorsement, but not to Šimonytė. Now there is no intrigue. Had Vėgėlė advanced to the second round, there would have been intrigue,“ said Karbauskis.

„Šimonytė’s ceiling is here, in the first round. This is where elections end,“ he added.

Eight candidates are running for president. With ballots counted from 1,559 polling districts out of 1,895, Nausėda has the lead with 46.69% of votes, while Šimonytė is the runner-up with 16.34%. Runoff voting will be held on 26 May.