Lithuania holds 2nd round of parliamentary elections

Lithuania is holding the second round of parliamentary election on Sunday to elect 68 members of the 141-member unicameral parliament or the Seimas, whose 73 other members were elected in the first round of election on Oct. 9.

After the first round of vote, 70 seats in the Seimas were shared by six parties.

The two leading parties -- the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) and the Peasants and Greens Union (LVZS) -- have won 20 and 19 seats respectively. The current leader of the center-left ruling coalition, the Social Democratic Party (LSDP), ranked the third with 13 seats.

The other three parties that have entered the Seimas are Liberal Movement (LRLS) with eight seats, Lithuanian Poles' Electoral Action-Union of Christian Families (LLRA-KSS) with five seats, and another current governing coalition Order and Justice Party (PTT) with five seats.

In the 71 single-member constituencies, one seat was secured by TS-LKD, and two by LLRA-KSS, after the first round of election. Parliament members will serve a four-year term.

A total of 1,415 candidates, including independent candidates, from 12 parties and two electoral coalitions participated in the elections this year.

The three biggest parties among the six which have already entered the Seimas have sent 42, 42 and 21 candidates, respectively, to the second round of vote.

The second round election runs from 7:00 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) to 8:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT).

Lithuania elects 71 members of the 141-seat Seimas in single-seat constituencies. Another 70 members of parliament are elected by proportional representation in a single nationwide multi-seat constituency.

A party needs at least 5 percent of votes to enter the Seimas. For electoral coalitions, the threshold is 7 percent.

The first round of voting decides how elected parties share the 70 seats, while the second round finally shows the results in the 71 single-seat constituencies. Endi