VILNIUS, May 3 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian MP Ingrida Simonyte has strengthened her lead in the presidential race with little more than a week left before the May 12 election, the latest poll showed on Friday.
According to the survey conducted by pollster Spinter tyrimai on April 20-29 and published by the local news website Delfi.lt, former Finance Minister Simonyte's candidacy was supported by 26.2 percent of the respondents, while economist Gitanas Nauseda, 54, ranked second with 24.6 percent.
Incumbent Prime Minister and presidential candidate Saulius Skvernelis held third place with 16.6 percent support.
Sociologist Ignas Zokas, director of the Spinter tyrimai polling company, commented that public support for Simonyte and Nauseda was nearly equal given the 3.1 percent margin of research error.
"In the latest survey, we added an additional question which revealed that only 44 percent of respondents were determined about their choice in the second half of April. A big share of the voters will decide at the last moment, therefore it remains hard to predict which two frontrunners will contest in the second round of the election," Zokas was quoted by Delfi.lt as saying.
The president in Lithuania is considered to be elected in the first election round if more than 50 percent of the voters participate in the election and if the candidate receives more than 50 percent of the votes cast. Otherwise, a second round will be needed.
Back in April, another Lithuanian market and opinion research center, Vilmorus, found that Simonyte held the lead in the presidential race.
The Spinter tyrimai poll was the last before the first round of the election, which will take place on May 12th. If necessary, the second round will be held on May 26.
In total, nine candidates are running for president.
Lithuania's incumbent President, Dalia Grybauskaite, will leave office after finishing her second term.
