Elite poll puts Sinkevičius, Nausėda and Kasčiūnas at the top

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius, President Gitanas Nausėda and Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas are considered Lithuania’s most influential politicians by the country’s elite, according to poll results reported by LRT and published by Delfi on Monday.

In the annual ranking, former presidents Dalia Grybauskaitė and Valdas Adamkus follow, along with former prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Vytautas Landsbergis, the first leader of restored Lithuania. The top 10 also includes Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, Liberal Movement leader Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen and Speaker of the Seimas Juozas Olekas.

Sinkevičius received 598 votes from the elite respondents, Nausėda received 565, and Kasčiūnas and Grybauskaitė received 435 each. The survey of experts in their fields, politicians and civil servants was conducted for Delfi by the magazine Reitingai. A total of 1,143 people were surveyed from July 9 to September 1.

In a separate public opinion poll, Nausėda ranked first with 38.3 percent of the vote, followed by Adamkus with 27.9 percent and Grybauskaitė with 27.2 percent. The same three politicians led the public ranking last year. The poll was conducted by market and public opinion research company Spinter tyrimai from July 18 to 25, surveying 1,017 people aged 18 to 75 across Lithuania.

Combining the views of the public and the elite, Nausėda ranked first with 43.7 percent, Sinkevičius second with 33.6 percent and Grybauskaitė third with 32.6 percent. Delfi has compiled its ranking of Lithuania’s most influential people for 12 consecutive years.