Looking back 25 years: how Arnold Rüütel became Estonia's president
In 2001, Arnold Rüütel was elected Estonia's president after a drawn-out contest in both the Riigikogu and the Electoral College. His win was aided by a behind-the-scenes deal that secured him extra votes.
In 2001, Estonia needed a new head of state since Lennart Meri had completed the maximum two consecutive terms. At the time, Mart Laar's second government — a coalition of the Isamaa Union, the Reform Party and the Moderates, later known as the Social Democratic Party, together dubbed the Triple Alliance — held 53 seats in parliament, not enough to elect a president through the Riigikogu alone.
Riigikogu votes fall short
In the first round, the opposition put forward Peeter Kreitzberg while the coalition backed Andres Tarand. Kreitzberg got 40 votes and Tarand 38 — short of the threshold. Notably, polls two years earlier had shown Tarand as the most popular potential candidate, but the Moderates used his popularity in the 1999 local elections campaign, which ended badly for the party in Tallinn and Tartu, weakening his later chances.
In the second round, Kreitzberg faced Isamaa Union's Peeter Tulviste, by then the public's favorite, with Kreitzberg receiving 36 votes to Tulviste's 35. A third round ended in a 33-33 tie, sending the election to the Electoral College.
Decision in the Electoral College
On September 21, Kreitzberg, Rüütel, Toomas Savi and Tulviste were nominated for the first round. Rüütel led with 114 votes but not enough to win outright. He advanced alongside Savi, who edged out Tulviste by a single vote with 90. In the same-day runoff among 366 Electoral College members, Rüütel won 186 votes to Savi's 155, with 23 ballots invalid — even had all gone to Savi, it would not have changed the outcome. Rüütel secured more than half the votes cast and was elected president.
Former campaign managers recalled that fierce rivalry between coalition parties prevented them from uniting behind one candidate, while an agreement between the People's Union and Center Party leadership helped funnel extra votes to Rüütel.
Taking the oath
On October 8, 2001, the 73-year-old Rüütel was sworn in before the Riigikogu, calling for renewed social dialogue and stronger regional policy through greater involvement of local government representatives.
