Incumbent Lithuanian president reelected in landslide win over PM

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has secured a second five-year term as Lithuanian president in a landslide victory over Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė. Preliminary figures showed that Nausėda won 74.5% of the votes and Šimonytė 24.1%. Nausėda is a moderate conservative and has been a strong backer of Ukraine, a position shared across most of the political spectrum. During his time in office, Lithuania has also given refuge to many who have fled an authoritarian crackdown in neighboring Belarus and increased repression in Russia. Speaking after the ballots had been counted Sunday, he said: “Lithuania’s independence and freedom is like a fragile vessel that we must cherish, protect and prevent from cracking.”