List of Presidents of Lithuania: Past and Present

Last updated November 2026

This page lists the presidents and heads of state of Lithuania from 1919 to the present, with the years each leader was in office and a short summary of their time in power. Use it to find the current president of Lithuania, former leaders, and key dates in the country's political history.

Current president of Lithuania: Gitanas Nausėda (in office since 2019).

Presidents of Lithuania in order, with years in office

Antanas Smetona

Served: 1919–1920

First president of Lithuania.

Aleksandras Stulginskis

Served: 1920–1926

Led the state as speaker of parliament and then as president.

Kazys Grinius

Served: 1926

Overthrown in the December 1926 coup.

Antanas Smetona

Served: 1926–1940

Returned to power in the 1926 coup and ruled until the Soviet occupation in 1940.

Vytautas Landsbergis

Served: 1990–1992

Chairman of the Supreme Council and head of state when Lithuania declared the restoration of its independence.

Algirdas Brazauskas

Served: 1993–1998

Former Communist Party leader and the first president elected by direct vote after independence.

Valdas Adamkus

Served: 1998–2003

Returning émigré who had worked for the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Rolandas Paksas

Served: 2003–2004

The first European head of state to be removed by impeachment, in April 2004.

Artūras Paulauskas

Served: 2004 (acting)

Speaker of parliament who acted as president after Paksas's removal.

Valdas Adamkus

Served: 2004–2009

Won a second term in 2004 after Paksas's removal.

Dalia Grybauskaitė

Served: 2009–2019

First woman president of Lithuania, who served two terms.

Gitanas Nausėda

Served: 2019–present

Economist who was re-elected in May 2024; his second and final term runs to 2029.

Frequently asked questions about the presidents of Lithuania

Who is the current president of Lithuania?

The current president of Lithuania is Gitanas Nausėda, in office since 2019.

Who were the previous presidents of Lithuania?

The presidents and heads of state of Lithuania listed on this page, in order, are: Antanas Smetona, Aleksandras Stulginskis, Kazys Grinius, Vytautas Landsbergis, Algirdas Brazauskas, Valdas Adamkus, Rolandas Paksas, Artūras Paulauskas, Dalia Grybauskaitė, Gitanas Nausėda.

Who was the first president of Lithuania?

Antanas Smetona was the first president of Lithuania, in office 1919–1920.

Sources: Wikipedia, List of presidents of Lithuania and Gitanas Nausėda; Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), BNS, Baltic Times and Daily Baltic reports, including October 2026 coverage (checked Nov 2026). Presidents of the interwar republic and since 1993; the head of state during the 1990–1992 restoration and the acting president of 2004 are labelled.. Last reviewed November 2026.

Presidents of other Europe countries