Parliamentary elections underway in Lithuania

Vilnius: Lithuanians are casting their ballots on Sunday in the first round of parliamentary elections, which may mark a significant shift in the country's government, according to a report by DW.
This election is widely anticipated to bring about political change in the nation.
Lithuania's parliamentary elections are underway, and the ruling centre-right Homeland Union may be ousted by a centre-left coalition comprising the opposition Social Democrats and several smaller parties, according to recent opinion polls.
Notably, about 2.4 million people are eligible to cast ballots. The two rounds of voting will see 141 members elected for a four-year term. The second round of elections will be held on October 27.
If no candidate gets more than 50 per cent of the vote in a district, its top two candidates will face each other in a run-off on October 27.
Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's government has suffered a blow to popularity despite economic growth and low inflation.
Lithuanian citizens have voiced strong criticism over Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, citing stringent measures that disproportionately impacted businesses and individuals, who had limited access to essential healthcare services.
The ruling government has also been condemned for its handling of migrants arriving through Russian ally Belarus, with whom Lithuania shares a border, DW reported.
On the other hand, Lithuania's Social Democrats have pledged to tackle the country's growing income inequality by redistributing wealth. Additionally, the party also vows to implement a range of welfare initiatives.