Lithuanian incumbent President Gitanas Nausėda has announced he will run for a second term in next year’s presidential election.
“When I took office as president four and a half years ago, my main goal was to build a strong, just Lithuania that respects its citizens and is respected by them. A Lithuania that shares its prosperity with everyone, including those who are less well off,” he told a press conference on Thursday.
“I am determined and committed to continue the work we have started. I will run in the presidential election in May 2024, and I hope that the people of Lithuania will give me a strong mandate of trust, as they did in 2019,” he added.
Before announcing his decision to run, Nausėda gave a 30-minute speech at the President’s Palace, in which he reviewed the achievements of the country since he took office in 2019.
Nausėda highlighted the “tectonic shifts” that have taken place during his presidency, including the agreement with Germany on the permanent deployment of its brigade in Lithuania and an increase in defence spending to more than 2.5 percent of GDP.
“All this allows me to say that Lithuania is safer than ever in terms of external threats,” he said.
The president also highlighted the success in withstanding the consequences of the rising energy costs, talked about people with disabilities and the country’s progress in this area, and praised the local government, which, according to him, has demonstrated leadership in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, irregular migration, and support for Ukraine.
According to the opinion polls, Nausėda is a clear favourite to win the presidential election next May.
Ignas Vėgėlė, a lawyer who has recently announced his decision to run for president, and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, running on the ruling conservative Homeland Union’s ticket, are seen as his main challengers.
So far, nine candidates have announced that they will run for president next year.
The Lithuanian Farmers and Greens Union is fielding Aurelija Veryga, former health minister. The Democratic Union “For Lithuania” has nominated Giedrimas Jeglinskas, former deputy defence minister and assistant secretary general of NATO.
The Freedom Party’s nominee for the presidential race is Dainius Žalimas, former chairman of the Constitutional Court, while the Freedom and Justice Party is nominating former interim President Artūras Paulauskas.
Other candidates include former Chief of Defence Valdas Tutkus, Kazlų Rūda Mayor Mantas Varaška, and activist Antanas Kandrotas, nicknamed Celofanas, who is on trial for organising a riot near the parliament building in August 2021.
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