Interior Minister and Kaunas mayor see their popularity ratings drop

Asked to provide their favorable or unfavorable opinion on a specific public figure, 19.5 percent said they had a favorable opinion about Bilotaite in November, down from 30 percent in October. And the percentage of unfavorable opinions rose to 55.4 percent, from 41.4 percent in October.

Vladas Gaidys, head of Vilmorus, says this may have to do with the dismissal of Ricardas Pocius, commander of the Public Security Service, when both sides exchanged public accusations.

26.3 percent had a favorable opinion about Matijosaitis, down from 33.8 percent in October. And the percentage of those having an unfavorable opinion about the Kaunas mayor rose to 44 percent, from 35.5 percent.

Gaidys points out it’s Matijosaitis' lowest popularity rating since 2015 when he was elected.

The sociologist says the drop is linked both to the protracted sale of the mayor's business in Russia, and also the recent controversy surrounding his family's possible non-transparent acquisition of land plots in Kaunas.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda remains the most popular politician in the country as 62.2 percent said in November they had a positive opinion about him, compared to 60.8 percent in October). That was the president's best score this year, Gaidys said.

"This year is the best result and his rating is slowly growing," the sociologist said.

Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anusauskas comes in second with 45.4 percent of favorable opinions (47.5 percent in October), followed by Vilija Blinkeviciute, leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party of Lithuania with 43.7 percent (44.4 percent in October).

Vilmorus surveyed 1,000 adult Lithuanian residents on November 10-19.