The image of Gitanas Nauseda as "tall and handsome" became something of a meme on social media back in 2019 when he won the Lithuanian presidential election for the first time.
But it was a bit of a double-edged compliment. As the chief economist of a bank for many years, he was viewed by many as outwardly impressive but politically insignificant.
Five years later, the 60-year-old from the port city of Klaipeda is Lithuania's most popular politician. On May 26, he was re-elected in a run-off for a second term . His opponent — as in 2019 — was the current Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte of the center-right Homeland Union (TS-LKD), who conceded soon after the vote began.
"Nauseda has benefited in part from the fact that the government under Simonyte is unpopular," said political scientist Lauras Bielinis from Kaunas University. The president has repeatedly criticized the cabinet, something that many voters like, she added.
The coalition government, made up of the TS-LKD and two liberal parties, managed to lead the country out of the economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, salaries and pensions have been rising, but so have the price of goods and rent. Most citizens blame the government for this.
Lithuania's president is also taking a stand on social issues. Bielinis said that Gitanas Nauseda has positioned himself for the last five years as a head of state who is free of political parties. In his speeches, he often conveyed the message of working for the common good.
The president was able to connect with "the most........