LSDP sections usually propose V. Blinkevičiūtė as the party’s presidential candidate

Her candidacy has already been proposed by at least nine departments, LSDP Communications Department Head Justinas Argusta informed BNS.

According to the party, one department each proposed the candidacies of Alytus city mayor Nerijaus Cesiulis, former European commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis, former culture minister Šarūnas Biručis, former party leader, member of the Seimas Gintautas Paluckas, and doctor of social sciences Liutaurs Gudžinskas.

LSDP chapters should submit their proposals for a candidate by the beginning of November.

The final decision on who the Social Democrats will nominate for president will be made by the party council in December of this year or early next year.

Presidential elections in Lithuania will be held next May.

According to public opinion polls, the current president Gitanas Nausėda is the clearest favorite among them, lawyer Ignas Vėgėlė and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė are also in the top three.

G. Nausėda and I. Vēgėlė promise to announce their decisions on participation in the elections later this year.

I.Šimonytė has already announced her candidacy for the presidency, she is nominated by the ruling Union of the Fatherland-Lithuanian Christian Democrats, the Union of Lithuanian Peasants and Greens nominates the former Minister of Health, Member of the Seimas Aurelijus Verygas.

Former army commander Valdas Tutkus, Kazlų Rūda mayor Mantas Varaška, Antanas Kandrotas, nicknamed Cellophane, who is on trial in the riots case, also announced their candidacies in the elections.