A Russian-born tycoon's party is set to capture the most seats in Lithuania's parliament in second-round elections on Sunday.
Millionaire Mr Viktor Uspaskich's Labour Party, set up last year on a populist platform promising to raise pensions and wages, has proclaimed the ambitious goal of gaining an absolute majority in parliament.
"Today we still have a possibility to fight for an absolute majority in the parliament and for the position of prime minister and we are directing all our time and energy to achieve this goal," Mr Uspaskich said.
However, analysts predict three strong blocs will emerge and that the current ruling left-wing coalition will choose to bring Mr Uspaskich into government rather than forging an unstable "rainbow coalition" with right-wing parties.
Labour won 23 seats out of 75 distributed in the first round of elections to Lithuania's 141-member legislative body, held on October 10th. It is fielding 48 candidates for 66 seats up for grabs in individual districts on Sunday.
In the October 10th poll, the ruling left-wing Social Democrat and Social Liberal coalition got 19 seats in the first round and could expect to double that on Sunday.
The right-wing Conservative Party and Liberal Center Union won 11 and seven seats respectively, and are forecast to end up with a similar level of representation in parliament.
The popularity of Mr Uspaskich, who made his money trading gas in the late 1980s, has alarmed some in Lithuania who fear the influence of Moscow. The former Soviet republic gained its independence in 1991.
AFP