Lithuanians vote for new parliament at last

Polling stations have opened in Lithuania for the second and final round of voting to elect a new parliament. The first round of voting on October 12 saw 73 of Lithuania's 141 parliamentary seats decided, leaving 68 to be fought over in the second round. Homeland Union, the Christian democrat opposition party, looks set to increase its slight lead after securing most - almost 20 per cent - of the vote during the first round of elections.  However, with a parliamentary majority already out of reach after the first round of voting,  Andrius Kubilius, the party leader, will have to form a working coalition government with a number of parties.  Kubilius, a former prime minister, said: "We are ready to take responsibility and expect the president [to] offer to start forming a new cabinet."

Coalition politics: Multi-party coalitions are the norm in Lithuania, which was ruled by the Soviet Union for five decades. Gediminas Kirkilas, a social democrat and leader of the current centre-left administration, has been at the head of a five-party government since becoming prime minister after a 2006 reshuffle. The newly-formed Rising Nation party, also known locally as the "showbiz" party because it is led by a popular entertainment television presenter, also did well in the first round, emerging as the second-largest party with around 15 per cent of the vote. Under Lithuanian law, 70 parliamentarians must be elected by proportional representation from party lists and the remaining 71 in single-member constituencies. Voter turnout in the first round was higher than expected at 48 per cent, although analysts do not expect the same level of interest in the second round. Polling stations opened on Sunday at 7am (0500 GMT) and were  due to close at 8pm (1800 GMT). The results are expected to be announced on Monday.

In the first round the conservatives won 18 seats, followed by the National Revival Party, led by a former talent show host, and impeached ex-President Rolandas Paksas' Order and Justice.... Ex-stunt pilot Mr Paksas was the first European head of state to be removed by impeachment. He quit four years ago amid corruption allegations, which he has always denied. Although still banned from holding public office, analysts say he could wield huge influence behind the scenes. In power since 2001, the Social Democrats were in trouble due to the failing economy of the ex-Soviet state, which joined the European Union in 2004.