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| - Lithuanians vote on Sunday in the run-off round of a general election following a campaign dominated by concerns over the government's handling of the pandemic and social inequalities in the eurozone Baltic state. Below are snapshots of the candidates representing the governing centre-left coalition and the centre-right opposition vying to become the next prime minister: Skvernelis joined the police force as a beat officer in 1998, working his way up to deputy national commander after a decade, then police chief in 2011. His wide-ranging reforms targeted corruption and road safety, making a lasting impression that won him respect and popularity. Skvernelis launched his political career in 2014 by swapping his uniform for a suit and the office of the interior minister. He became prime minister after leading the list of the centre-left Lithuanian Farmers and Green Union in the 2016 elections but has never formally joined the party. A strong backer of Lithuania's membership of the European Union, Skvernelis has positioned himself as a centre-left alternative to business and political elites, pledging to continue fighting corruption and offering generous spending to combat poverty. These measures have won him considerable popularity in poorer rural areas and among older voters. He finished third in last year's presidential election, getting 20 percent of the vote and losing to two centre-right candidates. In 2019 and 2020 Skvernelis was treated for cancer. The outspoken Skvernelis has had verbal run-ins with several politicians and media, leading liberal critics to accuse him of a haughty attitude. Skvernelis, 50, speaks Russian, Polish and some English. He is married and a father-of-two who enjoys gardening and basketball, Lithuania's national sport. A conservative economist, Ingrida Simonyte was thrust into the public spotlight when she oversaw biting austerity measures during the 2009 global financial crisis, when Lithuania's economy shrank by nearly 15 percent. She drew sharp criticism for deep cuts to public salaries and state pensions, but her supporters insist her bold actions helped return the economy to growth the following year without a currency devaluation. After conservatives lost elections to leftists in 2012, Simonyte was a central bank deputy governor in 2013-2016, before winning a seat in parliament in 2016. She strongly backs EU membership, is an open supporter of gay rights and is liked by young, urban and liberal voters in the predominantly Catholic country. Simonyte was the runner up at last year's presidential election, getting just 33 percent of the vote, while independent political novice Gitanas Nauseda won the ballot with 66 percent. The 45-year-old is the official nominee for prime minister of the conservative Homeland Union -- Lithuanian Christian Democrats but has never formally been a party member. Simonyte, who is single, is fluent in English, Russian and Polish and speaks some Swedish. A fan of rock music and ice hockey, she also enjoys reading, Nordic walking and gardening. vab/mas/gle
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