Lithuania elects its first woman president

VILNIUS, Lithuania, May 18 (UPI) -- Dalia Grybauskaite won Lithuania's presidential election in a clear-cut decision, becoming the country's first woman head of state, official results show.

Grybauskaite, a 53-year-old independent candidate and the budget commissioner of the European Union, collected just over 69 percent of the votes, the central election committee said Monday.

About 51 percent of 2.7 million registered voters participated in the Sunday election.

Algirdas Butkevicius, leader of the opposition Social Democratic party won 11.7 percent of the votes, the Baltic Times online said.

Grybauskaite will replace President Valdas Adamkus, 82, who has served 10 years as head of the former Soviet republic that joined the EU in 2004.

Adamkus said he is ready for a smooth handover of office to Grybauskaite, who is set to take the office July 12.

Last week, Grybauskaite said she would support Prime Minister Andrius Kaubulius in starting an economic recovery of Lithuania, which has been seriously hurt by the global economic crisis.

Grybauskaite holds a black belt in karate.