Lithuanian Parliament Sets Date Of Presidential Election For May 12 Next Year

The Lithuanian Parliament (the Seimas) on Tuesday unanimously approved the proposal of the chairman of the parliament, Viktoras Pranckietis, to hold presidential election in the republic on May 12, 2019.

VILNIUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2018) The Lithuanian Parliament (the Seimas) on Tuesday unanimously approved the proposal of the chairman of the parliament, Viktoras Pranckietis, to hold presidential election in the republic on May 12, 2019.

"According to the Constitution, the next presidential election is held on the last Sunday, two months before the end of the term of office of the incumbent president. The term of office of President Dalia Grybauskaite ends on July 12, 2019. Therefore, presidential elections fall on May 12, 2019," Pranckietis said at the meeting.

The parliament also scheduled the election of the members of the European Parliament for May 26 next year, and elections to the local governments - for March 3.

According to the Lithuanian Constitution, the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year period. The election is held in two rounds. If none of the candidates gets 50 percent plus one vote in the first round, then a second round will be held in two weeks, in which two top candidates will take part.

The incumbent Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite leads the republic for a second term in a row, after winning presidential elections in 2009 and 2014.