Conservatives lead Social Democrats by more than seven points

Lithuania’s Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats lead the governing Social Democratic Party by 7.3 percentage points in a new poll, LRT reported. The survey was conducted by Spinter Research for Delfi.

If parliamentary elections were held next Sunday, 16.1% of respondents would vote for the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, led by Laurynas Kasčiūnas. The figure was 16.2% in July.

The governing Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, led by Mindaugas Sinkevičius, came second with 8.8%, down from 10.1% in July. The Nemunas Dawn party, led by Remigijus Žemaitaitis, ranked third with 8.3%, compared with 8.5% in July.

The opposition Liberal Movement was fourth with 7.6%, down from 8.1%. The Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union, led by European Parliament member Aurelijus Veryga, rounded out the top five with 6.9%, up from 5.6% in July.

The National Union, led by MP Vytautas Sinica, was below the 5% threshold with 4%, compared with 4.3% in July. The Democratic Union For Lithuania received 3.3%, down from 4.6%, while the Freedom Party received 2.3%, down from 3.7%.

In September, 24% of respondents said they did not know whom they would vote for, while 10.4% said they would not vote. Another 8.3% said they would choose a party not listed in the survey.

Shimonyte leads preference for prime minister

Former prime minister and conservative Ingrida Šimonytė was the most frequently named candidate for prime minister, with 13.5% support in September, compared with 13.7% in July.

Žemaitaitis ranked second with 7.8%, up from 7.3%. Liberal Movement leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen came third with 5.6%, down from 6.4%.

Sinkevičius received 4.7%, compared with 6.7% in July. Veryga had 4%, up from 3.2%; Kaunas Mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis had 3.9%, down from 4.7%; and European Parliament member Virginijus Sinkevičius had 3.6%, up from 1.9%.

Former prime minister and Social Security and Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė received 2.9%, compared with 1% in July. Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys had 2.7%, up from 1.5%, while Kasčiūnas received 2.1%, down from 2.6%.

Spinter Research conducted the poll from September 16 to 26 among 1,020 people aged 18 to 75. Respondents were surveyed by telephone and online. The reported margin of error was 3.1%.