President-elect Dalia Grybauskaite.
Photo courtesy Lietuvos Rytas
The elections for Lithuanias President were held on Sunday May 16, 2009. The clear winner was Dalia Grybauskaitė, the first female to become Lithuanias President. The 53-year old
Grybauskaitė won decisively with near 70% of the vote, the highest margin in a Lithuanian presidential election. Her nearest rival Algirdas Butkevičius, the leader of the opposition Social
Democrat Party, received just under 12% of the vote. Grybauskaitė will formally be inaugurated on July 12. She will replace long serving President Valdas Adamkus, who has been
Lithuanias president for two five-year terms.
Dalia Grybauskaitė has had a distinguished career in government and public service. She holds a doctorate in social sciences. Her current job since 2004 has been as the European
The President-elect is congratulated by the Prime
Minister Andrius Kubilius. Photo courtesy Lietuvos Rytas
Unions Commissioner for Budget and Financial Planning. For her achievements in this post she was declared as the EU Commissioner of the Year in November, 2005. In Lithuania she
has been a Minister of Finance and she has worked in the Lithuanian Embassy in the USA.
Media commentators have been comparing President-elect Dalia Grybauskaitė to Britains iron lady Margaret Thatcher. The leading British magazine The Economist in its latest issue
describes Dalia Grybauskaitė as a steel magnolia, seeing her as hardworking and incisive. In the sporting arena, she holds a black belt in karate.
Further information: www.lietuvosrytas.lt 18-19/05/09 www.economist.com (Search for Grybauskaitė)
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