At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Lithuania

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Valdas ADAMKUS
• Head of Government: Premier Algirdas Mykolas BRAZAUSKAS
• Assembly: Lithuania has a unicameral Parliament (Seimas) with 141 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Parliament (Seimas), 70 members are elected by proportional representation and 71 members are elected by direct popular vote.

Main Candidates in the Second Round of the Presidential race:

• Rolandas PAKSAS
  • Party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
• Valdas ADAMKUS
  • Party: Independent

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

• Valdas ADAMKUS*
  • Party: Independent
• *Rolandas PAKSAS
  • Party: Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
• Arturas PAULAUKAS
  • Party: New Union
• Vytautas SERENAS
  • Party: Independent
• Vytenis Povilas ANDRIUKAITIS
  • Party: Social Democratic Party (LSDP)
• Kazimira Danute PRUNSKIENE
  • Party: Union of Peasants and New Democracy Union (VNDPU)
• Other Candidates
  • Party: N/A

* ADAMKUS and PAKSAS will contest the second round of January 5, 2003.

Last Presidential election:

• Last presidential election was held on January 4, 1998. President ADAMKUS won by securing 50.4% of the votes against PAULAUKAS, who had 49.6% of the valid votes.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 3,443,067 (2002)
• Registered Voters: 2,272,805 (2003)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 1,835,261 (2002)

·         Is Lithuania a signatory to CEDAW: N/A

·         Has Lithuania ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (18 January 1994)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 15 (following the 2000 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 37 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Lithuania a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Lithuania ratified CRPD: Yes (18 August 2010)

·         Population with a disability: 516,460 (est.)