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Second round of parliamentary election to be held in Lithuania on Sunday

The main intrigue of the second round of election is whether conservatives or greens will gain an upper hand

VILNIUS, October 23. /TASS/. The second round of parliamentary election will be held in Lithuania on Sunday. Polling stations in 68 constituencies will open at 7am Moscow time.

The Lithuanian unicameral parliament, Seimas, consists of 141 MPs elected for four years, including 71 in single-seat constituencies and 70 by party lists. After the first round held on October 9, only three MPs advanced in single-seat constituencies. Two candidates in each of 68 remaining constituencies went for the second round as none of them surpassed the 50% threshold.

The second round will define the final composition of the legislative body. Most candidates are from the Homeland Union - Christian Democrats party (21.63% in first round, 20 mandates, 42 candidates), the Peasant and Green Union (21.57%, 19 mandates, 40 candidates), and the Social Democratic Party (14.45%, 13 mandates, 21 candidates).

The main intrigue of the second round of election is whether conservatives or greens will gain an upper hand. Since the difference between these parties was minimal in the first round of elections, only a handful of votes may help one of them win and form the government.

According to the Lithuanian Central Election Commission, around 2.5 million Lithuanians are eligible for voting, excluding citizens registered in three constituencies that did not have to go into the second round.

The voter turnout at the first round of election stood at 50% Experience shows that the population becomes less active during the second round of elections. Experts think that voter turnout may fall to 30% in the second round, which they say is beneficial for conservatives. Moreover, election will be recognized as invalid at those polling stations where the voter turnout is less than 25%.