TS-LKD widens lead as ratings for PM and defence minister fall

The Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) leads Lithuania’s party rankings, while public assessments of Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius and Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas have declined, according to a poll reported by LRT.

The survey, commissioned by ELTA and conducted by Baltijos tyrimai, found no substantial overall changes in party support over the past month. Compared with August, favourable assessments of Kaunas fell by six percentage points, while Sinkevičius’s rating dropped five points, from 38% to 33%. The share of respondents viewing MP Valius Ąžuolas favourably also fell by five points.

In the survey, Valdas Adamkus received the highest favourable rating, at 76%, followed by Dalia Grybauskaitė at 58%. More respondents viewed President Gitanas Nausėda favourably than unfavourably, as did respondents assessing Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union leader Aurelijus Veryga, public figure Andrius Tapinas, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, Ąžuolas, journalist Edmundas Jakilaitis, Democratic Union “For Lithuania” leader Virginijus Sinkevičius and National Alliance leader Vytautas Sinica.

The least favourable assessments were for Vytautas Landsbergis, the first leader of independent Lithuania, with 65% viewing him unfavourably; opposition conservative Ingrida Šimonytė, at 59%; Kaunas, at 55%; Seimas Speaker Juozas Olekas, at 51%; and “Nemuno aušra” leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis, also at 51%.

Favourable ratings fell by three percentage points for Health Minister Linas Kukuraitis and MP Jūratė Zailskienė. Meanwhile, the share viewing Nausėda, Energy Minister Lukas Savickas and Šimonytė favourably rose by three points each.

TS-LKD was supported by 15.4% of respondents, up from 12.8% in August. The Lithuanian Social Democratic Party ranked second with 12.1%, compared with 12.5% in the previous poll.

“Nemuno aušra” had 10.5% support, up from 9.1%, while the Lithuanian Peasants and Greens Union stood at 10.3%, down from 10.5%. The Liberal Movement received 5.7%, the National Alliance 4.9% and the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” 4.6%.

The Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania–Christian Families Alliance was backed by 3.2% of respondents, the Freedom Party by 2.6%, the Labour Party by 2.4%, the Lithuanian Regions Party by 1.5% and the Union of the People and Justice by 1.1%. Other parties were supported by 0.1%.

The poll was conducted from September 23 to October 5, 2026, through in-person interviews with 1,025 Lithuanian residents aged 18 and over at 110 sampling points. The sample was designed to reflect the population by sex, age, ethnicity and type of settlement.