EU budget chief tipped to lead Lithuania

European Union budget chief Dalia Grybauskaite was the strong favourite to win Lithuania’s presidential election as crisis-weary voters went to the polls today.

Lithuania – along with Baltic neighbours Estonia and Latvia – ranks among Europe’s most depressed economies in the global downturn and many voters hope EU Budget Commissioner Ms Grybauskaite can help the country rebound.

Karate black belt Ms Grybauskaite, 53, who would be Lithuania’s first female president, said she decided to run for president after public anger flared in January over Lithuania’s economic collapse.

A rock-throwing mob attacked parliament in the worst street violence Lithuania had seen since it regained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

“I told myself I cannot remain on the outside any longer,” said Ms Grybauskaite, a political independent. “I decided to run for president. If Lithuania wants me to return, I will.”

Polls suggest Ms Grybauskaite could win more than the 50% needed to avoid a run-off on June 7. To do that, more than half of the nation’s 2.6 million voters must turn out.

An April 28 survey by the Baltijos Tyrimai pollster gave Ms Grybauskaite 53% support. Her closest rival, Social Democrat Algirdas Butkevicius, got 9% in the poll of 1,002 people. The margin of error was 2.5%.

Mr Butkevicius told supporters this week he would seek to disband the current centre-right government and nominate a new coalition that would “stimulate the economy, save jobs and guarantee better social support”.

Five other candidates are running in the first round. Campaigning has focused on Lithuania’s economic problems, with many left-wing candidates criticising the government for not doing enough to stem the crisis.

Lithuania has long been considered more stable than its Baltic neighbours, but EU statistics this week showed the economy plummeted nearly 10% in the first quarter of 2009, compared with the previous three months. Unemployment in March was 15.5%, a dramatic jump from 4.3% a year earlier.

Even though economic polices are set by the government, Ms Grybauskaite’s budgetary experience is seen as a big plus.

She has spent five years on the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch. If she wins today, she will leave that post.

The winner replaces President Valdas Adamkus, who is stepping down after serving a second five-year term. His predecessor, Rolandas Paksas, was ousted for violating the constitution and abuse of office, making him the first European head of state to be impeached.