Stoicescu says he will vote for Ülle Madise as Estonia's president
Riigikogu member Kalev Stoicescu, who recently joined the Parempoolsed party, has announced he will vote for Ülle Madise in parliament's presidential election. He had earlier signed to support Tiit Land's candidacy, but Land failed to gather the required signatures.
Estonian Riigikogu member Kalev Stoicescu, who recently joined the Parempoolsed ("Right-wingers") party, has said he will vote for Ülle Madise when parliament elects the country's president.
Earlier this week, Stoicescu, together with Meelis Kiili and Leo Kunnas, signed in support of nominating Tiit Land as a presidential candidate. However, Land was unable to collect the 21 signatures required for nomination.
"I probably would have supported Ülle Madise anyway. But since there is now no other candidate, I will naturally support Ülle Madise's candidacy. Now it's 100 percent," Stoicescu told ERR on Friday.
Two reasons for the signature
Stoicescu explained that he signed in support of Land's nomination for two reasons. First, he has known and respected Tiit Land for a long time and considers Land and Madise equally worthy candidates. Second, in his view, an election with two candidates is a genuine election. He stressed this does not mean an election with a single candidate is somehow illegitimate — it is entirely lawful — but that the word "election" itself implies having a choice.
On Wednesday, Parempoolsed leader Lavly Perling said the party supports Ülle Madise and urged Riigikogu members to elect her as president.
That same day, August 19, Kalev Stoicescu announced he was joining Parempoolsed. On August 9, he had announced his departure from the Eesti 200 party.
