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Conservative Simonyte wins Lithuanian parliament's approval to form government

FILE PHOTO: Lithuania's Homeland Union leader Ingrida Simonyte speaks to reporters after declaring victory in Lithuania's general election, in Vilnius

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania's parliament approved the appointment of conservative Ingrida Simonyte as the Baltic country's next prime minister on Tuesday and tasked her with forming a government following an election on Oct. 26.

Simonyte, a former finance minister, is due to take over from the outgoing government in two to three weeks, after she agrees on her ministers with President Gitanas Nauseda and wins parliament's backing for her government's programme.

Simonyte, 46, led the opposition centre-right Homeland Union party to victory in the election and then formed a coalition with two liberal parties in the European Union and NATO member state.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas, Editing by Timothy Heirtage)