Ingrida Simonyte, Lithuania's former Finance Minister and Member of Parliament, attends a press conference organized by BNS (Baltic News Service) after the final results of the first round was announced in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, May 13, 2019. Simonyte, supported by the country's main opposition party the Homeland Union-Christian Democrats, gained 31.13 percent of the votes in a close fight with economist Gitanas Nauseda, the country's Central Electoral Commission said after counting votes from all 1,972 polling stations. Nauseda, an independent candidate, received support of 30.95 percent of the votes. The difference between the candidates in absolute numbers was 2,647 votes. Since none of the candidates received more than 50 percent, the second round of presidential election will be held on May 26, alongside with the country's election to the European Parliament. (Xinhua/Alfredas Pliadis)
VILNIUS, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Lithuania's former Finance Minister and Member of Parliament Ingrida Simonyte has won the first round of the country's presidential election, showed the final results on Monday.
Simonyte, supported by the country's main opposition party the Homeland Union-Christian Democrats, gained 31.13 percent of the votes in a close fight with economist Gitanas Nauseda, the country's Central Electoral Commission said after counting votes from all 1,972 polling stations.
Nauseda, an independent candidate, received support of 30.95 percent of the votes. The difference between the candidates in absolute numbers was 2,647 votes.
Since none of the candidates received more than 50 percent, the second round of presidential election will be held on May 26, alongside with the country's election to the European Parliament.
"Thank you all for your votes. Two weeks of hard work is ahead of us," Simonyte told reporters at her election headquarters.
Lithuania's incumbent Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis backed by the ruling Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union didn't make it to the second round and stayed third with 19.72 percent of the votes.
After admitting his defeat, Skvernelis reiterated he would step down as the prime minister.
"I have made my decision, and I don't want to talk about other options. The decision is to step down on 12th July," Skvernelis told reporters on Monday morning.
Over 56 percent of registered voters participated in the presidential election.
Incumbent President Dalia Grybauskaite is to leave office after completing her second term in July.
