Gitanas Nauseda won the second-round presidential election on May 26, 2019, by 67% to Ingrida Simonyte’s 33%. Both ran as independents; the opposition conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) backed Simonyte. Nauseda’s victory seems due to being a married practising Catholic in a conservative country, his greater distance from the political establishment and his opponent’s image as an unmarried and culturally liberal woman.
Relations with Poland will improve further despite unresolved issues, as Lithuania needs a stronger security and economic partner.
Relations with China will be based on economic pragmatism.
Lithuania will be more committed to promote EU climate policy, now that Virginijus Sinkevicius is the environment commissioner.
