For the first time, a woman has become president of Lithuania

Fifty-two percent of voters (2.7 million people) turned out for the presidential election, making it valid. The runner-up was social democratic party representative Algirdas Butkevičius, who received 11.9 percent of the votes.

Grybauskaitė will be the first woman to serve as president of Lithuania. She can take office as early as July.

According to many political scientists, after Grybauskaitė takes power, Lithuania’s foreign policy may change. The focus will shift from the countries of Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia) to the states of the European Union. Particular attention will be paid to Lithuania’s further integration into the European Union. Lithuania may adopt a policy of “coexistence” with Russia, which prevails in Western Europe.

As for domestic policy, the new president will have to lead Lithuania out of the severe financial crisis and restore the public’s trust in the authorities. During her election campaign, Grybauskaitė frequently criticized the authorities, so major changes in government personnel and new reforms are entirely possible.