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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| EU official 'tops Lithuania poll' | EU official 'tops Lithuania poll' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| European Union budget commissioner Dalia Grybauskaite has won the first round of Lithuania's presidential poll, according to preliminary results. | |
| With nearly 24% of the vote counted, she won 68%, but it was not immediately clear if she would avoid a run-off. | |
| If confirmed, Ms Grybauskaite, aged 53, would become Lithuania's first ever female president. | If confirmed, Ms Grybauskaite, aged 53, would become Lithuania's first ever female president. |
| Sunday's election was held amid widespread concern about the economic downturn in the Baltic state. | Sunday's election was held amid widespread concern about the economic downturn in the Baltic state. |
| Seven candidates contested the elections. | |
| Social Democrat lawmaker Algirdas Butkevicius, Ms Grybauskaite's nearest challenger, was running a distant second with 12% of the vote. | |
| Preliminary results also showed that turnout was 50,42%, but final figures are expected later on Sunday. | |
| To win in the first round, a contender must secure 50% of the vote with at least 50% of some 2.6m eligible voters taking part. | |
| If turnout is below 50%, a candidate needs backing from a third of all eligible voters. | |
| The second round - if required - would be held on 7 June. | |
| 'Level-headed' | 'Level-headed' |
| Ms Grybauskaite, the EU's tough-talking budget commissioner who has a black belt in karate, was running as an independent. | Ms Grybauskaite, the EU's tough-talking budget commissioner who has a black belt in karate, was running as an independent. |
| In the difficult times I can give my experience, my knowledge to my country Dalia Grybauskaite | |
| Lithuania's crashing economy has dominated what little policy debate this presidential election has generated, the BBC's Adam Easton says. | Lithuania's crashing economy has dominated what little policy debate this presidential election has generated, the BBC's Adam Easton says. |
| Ms Grybauskaite has been critical of the way the economy has been handled by governments in the past. | Ms Grybauskaite has been critical of the way the economy has been handled by governments in the past. |
| "Our local political establishment is so boring for people, and they want to see some new faces," she told reporters after voting in the capital Vilnius. | |
| "In the difficult times I can give my experience, my knowledge to my country," Ms Grybauskaite added. | |
| She is widely seen as being a level-headed caretaker and has also avoided being tainted by domestic scandals, our correspondent says. | She is widely seen as being a level-headed caretaker and has also avoided being tainted by domestic scandals, our correspondent says. |
| After enjoying years of impressive growth since it joined the European Union in 2004, Lithuania is experiencing double digit economic contraction and rising unemployment. | After enjoying years of impressive growth since it joined the European Union in 2004, Lithuania is experiencing double digit economic contraction and rising unemployment. |
| Frustration turned into violence in January when demonstrators smashed windows in the parliament building in Vilnius. | Frustration turned into violence in January when demonstrators smashed windows in the parliament building in Vilnius. |