VILNIUS (AFP) - Right-wing opposition parties won Lithuania's parliamentary elections, narrowly ahead of the populist party of a Russian-born tycoon, preliminary results showed.
The right-wing Conservative Party and Liberal Center Union had 43 seats in the 141-member parliament, with millionaire Viktor Uspaskich's Labour Party just behind with 39 seats, election officials said.
The ruling left-wing Social Democrat and Social Liberal coalition were in third place with 31 seats. Other minor parties and independants had another 28 seats.
The head of the electoral commission, Zenonas Vaijauskas, said that final official results would be issued in a week's time, warning of possible recounts in tightly-decided contests in certain constituencies.
10/24/2004 - 21:37 GMT - AFP