Some 60 percent of Lithuania’s population would vote in next year’s referendum on multiple citizenship, according to a survey commissioned by the government.
“The results of the survey show that around 60 percent have said that they are definitely going to participate in the referendum,” Marius Gurskas, head of the government’s Strategic Communication Division, told LRT Radio on Tuesday.
“If we look at how many are ready to participate and how many are still thinking about joining and participating, we have really a high percentage, almost 80 percent,” he added.
The binding referendum on multiple citizenship is scheduled to be held on May 12, alongside the first round of the next presidential election. Removing the existing ban on dual citizenship from the Constitution requires a “yes” vote from more than 50 percent of all eligible voters.
MP Dalia Asanaviciute, head of the task group for the multiple citizenship referendum, has said that over 1.1 million Lithuanian citizens would have to vote in favor for the constitutional amendment to be approved.
Lithuania held a referendum on expanding possibilities for multiple citizenship in 2019, along with the presidential election, but fell short of votes to adopt the proposed amendment.
Currently, people who left Lithuania after March 11, 1990 cannot hold dual citizenship, apart from a few exceptions.
The Constitutional Court has ruled that this provision can only be changed via a referendum.
A joint commission of the Seimas and the Lithuanian World Community (LWC) is holding meetings this week to preparations for the referendum, and other issues of importance to Lithuanian expatriates.
Source: BNS
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