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| Lithuania votes in comeback poll | Lithuania votes in comeback poll |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Lithuanians have voted in a general election which could see the return to power of two disgraced ex-leaders. | |
| Rolandas Paksas stepped down as president four years ago after being impeached - but his Order and Justice party could help form a new government. | Rolandas Paksas stepped down as president four years ago after being impeached - but his Order and Justice party could help form a new government. |
| A likely partner in a populist coalition would be the Labour party led by a Russian-born millionaire who is battling corruption allegations. | |
| The governing Social Democrats are in trouble because of the failing economy. | The governing Social Democrats are in trouble because of the failing economy. |
| Lithuania - an ex-Soviet state - enjoyed an economic boom when it joined the European Union in 2004. | Lithuania - an ex-Soviet state - enjoyed an economic boom when it joined the European Union in 2004. |
| Lithuanians also voted on closing a Russian nuclear plant | |
| But rampant inflation and slumping growth have eroded the feel-good factor, and correspondents say many voters have lost confidence in mainstream parties. | But rampant inflation and slumping growth have eroded the feel-good factor, and correspondents say many voters have lost confidence in mainstream parties. |
| Mr Paksas was the first European head of state to be removed by impeachment. He was accused of corruption - a charge he has always denied. | Mr Paksas was the first European head of state to be removed by impeachment. He was accused of corruption - a charge he has always denied. |
| He is still banned from holding public office, but an exit poll suggests he could wield huge influence behind the scenes. | |
| Correspondents say his party could go into coalition with the Russian-born millionaire Viktor Uspaskich's Labour party. | |
| Mr Uspaskich - who is known as Mr Gherkin because of his pickles business - resigned as economy minister when he came under formal investigation over his dealings with Russia. | Mr Uspaskich - who is known as Mr Gherkin because of his pickles business - resigned as economy minister when he came under formal investigation over his dealings with Russia. |
| He is still under investigation and barred from leaving Lithuania. | He is still under investigation and barred from leaving Lithuania. |
| The exit poll suggested the biggest party would be the populist parties' main rival - the conservative opposition Homeland Union - with the Social Democrats trailing. | |
| Final results are not due until an expected second round of voting in some constituencies on 26 October. | |
| Voters were also being asked about plans to close down a Chernobyl-style nuclear reactor. | |
| The European Union wants Lithuania to close down the plant as planned at the end of 2009. But it provides 70% of Lithuania's electricity, and many voters do not want to increase their country's dependency on Russia. | The European Union wants Lithuania to close down the plant as planned at the end of 2009. But it provides 70% of Lithuania's electricity, and many voters do not want to increase their country's dependency on Russia. |
| However, as polls closed it was not clear if enough people had voted to make any referendum valid. |