DOPESHEET
Lithuania is holding municipal elections and for the first time directly elect mayors, with over 15,000 people vying for 1,524 council seats and over 400 people seeking to become mayors of 60 towns and cities.
Lithuanians for the first time in their municipal elections choose mayors, but their powers remain the same. Previously mayors were elected by councils and their office depended on ruling majority.
The municipalities where mayoral candidates will receive less than 50 percent of votes will hold run-off voting on March 15.
Supporters of the new system expects higher turnout while critics say it will spell problems for the new mayors who will have closely to cooperate with city councils. They will gave difficulties, if the ruling majority in a city council will be consisted from other parties.
During the early voting earlier this week, 4.98 percent of voters expressed their will, according to the data from the Central Electoral Commission, compared with 3.84 percent in 2011.
SHOTLIST
Soundbite (Lithuanian), A man from Siauliai:
They (city councils) used to pick up their candidates, and people could not influence it, and now we can directly make an impact, I would say it should be better.
Soundbite (Lithuanian), a woman from Klaipeda:
Officials must look into our eyes, those who cannot look into our eyes, I cannot ask them anything and leave. It means he works not for people.
Soundbite (Lithuanian), LORETA GRAUZINIENE, Speaker of Lithuanian Parliament Seimas:
I really hope that people will choose responsibly. It is worth to say that Parliament did not manage to change Constitution and therefore mayors will not gave more powers, but their responsibility will be two times bigger, because people elect them directly. People will require to implement promises.
