Lithuanians began to cast their votesin an early presidential election Sunday, two months after the ousting of former President Rolandas Paksas, the first European leader to be removed by impeachment.

The 2.6 million voters will also vote, for the first time, for the country's deputies to the European Parliament (EP) on Sunday.

The polls opened at 7 a.m. (0400 GMT) and were scheduled to close at 8 p.m. (1700 GMT).

Paksas, who was accused of corruption and breaching the Baltic nation's constitution, was barred from running for re-election by the country's constitutional court.

The voters have five presidential candidates to choose from to lead them for the next five years.

Valdas Adamkus, the 77-year-old former president who was defeated in a run-off against Paksas in 2002, is the favorite to win. Latest opinion polls show that some 26.5 percent of Lithuanians will vote for Adamkus.

Vilija Blinkeviciute, 44, currently the social welfare and labor minister, stands in second place in recent opinion polls and is expected to win 14.4 percent of public support.

Petras Austrevicius, the 41-year-old former Lithuania's EU entry negotiator, is supported by 12.4 percent of the poll respondents.

Ceslovas Jursenas, a 66-year-old former journalist, holds less than 10 percent public support. Kazimira Prunskiene, Lithuania's first post-independence prime minister, is trailing in the polls.

Voting will go to a second-round run-off two weeks later if no candidate secures more than 50 percent of the vote Sunday.

Source: Xinhua