Riigikogu Council of Elders to Discuss Presidential Election in Early August

Estonian Riigikogu Speaker Lauri Hussar (Eesti 200) has expressed optimism that a new president will be elected in early September. Both Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu and Social Democrats (SDE) leader Lauri Läänemets have called for an immediate convening of the Riigikogu's Council of Elders to discuss presidential candidates.

Hussar, who is a member of the Council, said the body will meet within the next two weeks. "I would hope that, for the sake of the quality of the discussion, all the parties that come to the Council of Elders meeting will already have a very clear position on who their potential candidate will be in the upcoming election, so that the discussion can be substantive and productive," he said. The Council consists of Hussar, his two deputy speakers, and the heads of all six Riigikogu party factions, and it oversees the electoral process.

The first three ballots are scheduled for September 2-3, and if they fail to produce a new president, the process moves to a regional electoral college. A minimum of 68 votes is required in the 101-seat Riigikogu to elect a president. Also crucial is the number of signatures—one per MP—needed to propose a presidential candidate. This number is 21, meaning the Reform Party, with 37 seats, is the only party that can nominate a candidate on its own, but it does not have enough seats to secure an election.

Prime Minister and Reform Party leader Kristen Michal has repeatedly stated that the party supports Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise as its candidate. With coalition partner Eesti 200 and the opposition Social Democrats in favor, her candidacy would translate into sufficient electoral votes. However, Madise has not yet given her consent to run—a necessary preliminary step. Michal said discussions with her are ongoing, and the decision is hers to make and announce publicly.

The opposition Isamaa and Center parties have not revealed their preferred candidate, though they have held talks with EU diplomat Maive Rute and businessman Indrek Laul. The Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) has put forward party founder Mart Helme, but lacks sufficient signatures to register him.

Another dimension is that Estonia's head of state is not directly elected by the people, leading to claims that the winning candidate is not necessarily the people's choice, and that parties are making their decisions with next year's Riigikogu elections in mind. Citizens who are not MPs have also been proposing candidates, notably former Defense League commander Riho Ühtegi. Economic analyst Raivo Vare criticized politicians for not making a broader effort to find out whom the people prefer. "In reality, this is a classic failure on the part of politicians," Vare said. "It would not be hard to inspect public opinion a little and see how people actually view the situation."

Hussar noted that only candidates with the support of politicians can run. The Constitution states that someone becomes a candidate only with the support signatures of 21 members of the Riigikogu. Nominations are open from August 21-24, followed by the first ballot on September 2, with the second and third run-offs on September 3 if needed. In 2021, Alar Karis ran unopposed and was elected in the second ballot.