VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — Lithuanians will cast ballots in the second-round of national elections Sunday in a tight race that could ultimately determine how quickly the small Baltic nation introduces the euro and whether it will build a new nuclear power plant.
Three parties across the political spectrum are hoping to emerge the winner following a close race in the first round two weeks ago. Opposition center-left parties that finished in first and second place have pledged to form a coalition that would increase social spending and postpone introducing the euro, while the ruling conservatives, who came in third, want to see Lithuania phase in the common currency in 2014 and proceed with plans to build a nuclear power plant, a plan the opposition has criticized.
