Ratings of many Lithuanian politicians down in July

According to the latest poll conducted by pollster Baltijos Tyrimai on 15-30 July under the commission of the news agency ELTA, Lithuanians have the most favourable opinion about President Dalia Grybauskaitė (70 percent); former President Valdas Adamkus (64 percent); Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius (59 percent) and MEP Vilija Blinkevičiūtė (Social Democratic Party) (50 percent). Seven other public figures, namely MEP Valentinas Mazuronis (Order and Justice Party), MP Eligijus Masiulis (Liberal Movement), former Minister of Health Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis (Social Democratic Party), MEP Zigmantas Balčytis (Social Democratic Party), economist Gitanas Nausėda, MP Naglis Puteikis, Chair of the Lithuanian Peasant and Green Union Ramūnas Karbauskis, are regarded by Lithuanians rather favourably than unfavourably.

Most unpopular public figures have remained the same for several months in a row: leader of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania Valdemar Tomaševski (72 percent), former conservative Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius (69 percent), former conservative MEP Vytautas Landsbergis (62 percent), founder of the Labour Party Viktor Uspaskikh (62 percent), Vilnius Mayor Artūras Zuokas (61 percent), chairwoman of the Labour Party and Parliament Speaker Loreta Graužinienė (61 percent) and MP Petras Gražulis (Order and Justice Party) (57 percent).

Over the last month, ratings of all public figures have slightly decreased with the exception of President Dalia Grybauskaitė, whose popularity remained the same. In July against June, ratings of MP Linas Balsys and MEP Balčytis fell the most, 8 and by 7 percentage points respectively.

29 percent undecided which party to support

Political standstill in summer has affected Lithuanian voters: based on the latest survey, the number of those who do not know which party to support or have no plans to attend elections has increased by 8 percentage point.

According to the data of a survey conducted on 15-30 July by pollster Baltijos Tyrimai, 29 percent of respondents were undecided which party to support or would not participate in elections. They were asked about their decision in a parliamentary election.

If parliamentary elections were held in July, 25 percent of those polled would vote for the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, 9 percent for the Labour Party, 9 percent for the Order and Justice Party, 9 percent for the Homeland Union-Lithuanian Democratic Party (TS-LKD), and 8 percent for the Liberal Movement.

In July, 4 percent of those polled intended to vote for the Lithuanian Peasant and Green Union, 3 percent for the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania, 2 percent for the Lithuanian Green Party, 1 percent would support political party Union TAIP and 1 percent, party Young Lithuania. Other political parties would be supported by fewer than 0.5 percent of respondents.

In a month, the support for the TS-LKD declined by 3 percentage points, while support for the Order and Justice Party fell by 2 percentage points. The ratings of other political parties remained the same.