Who is Estonia's new president Ülle Madise?
On September 2, 2026, Estonia's parliament elected constitutional law expert Ülle Madise as the country's new president, after she spent 11 years as chancellor of justice. She is known for defending fundamental rights and rule of law.
On September 2, 2026, Estonia's parliament elected Ülle Madise, a graduate of the University of Tartu's School of Law, as the country's new president. Over three decades in state administration, she led major reforms — including helping introduce Estonia's online voting system in the early 2000s while heading the Ministry of Justice's legislative policy department, and later helping transpose EU legislation into Estonian law as head of the Riigikogu Constitutional Committee's secretariat.
Known for her clarity and deep legal knowledge, Madise became one of Estonia's most recognized constitutional law experts through media appearances. This caught the attention of then-President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who hired her as his legal adviser in 2009. During the so-called Ice Cellar process, she became widely regarded as the president's closest aide.
Eleven years as chancellor of justice
In January 2015, Madise became Estonia's first female chancellor of justice, a post she has now held for 11 years across two terms. Her standing was already evident in 2016, when repeated parliamentary and Electoral College voting rounds failed to produce a presidential winner and her name surfaced as a possible candidate. Ilves later said he considered her fit for the presidency even then, though he felt she was still too young at the time.
Throughout her tenure, Madise has firmly defended the constitution and human rights, criticizing excessive bureaucracy, police use of license plate recognition cameras, and government attempts to access citizens' banking data. Former State Secretary Taimar Peterkop noted that the sharpest government disputes occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, when her strong stance on civil liberties left some with the impression she opposed vaccination.
Family and vision for the future
Madise's husband, Lauri Madise, serves as a judge at the EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg. She has said the couple supports each other's careers and has made necessary compromises. Outlining her vision for Estonia, Madise expressed hope the country remains a peaceful, safe place with strong allies willing to defend it, stressing the importance of close cooperation with both the United States and the European Union.
