Expert: Estonia's presidential election may be decided by an electoral college
The Estonian presidential election, which is set to begin next month, will likely shift from a parliamentary vote to an electoral college. Political expert Annika Arras expressed this assessment on the “Aktuaalne kaamera” program, according to ERR News.
According to Arras, despite efforts to elect a new head of state in the Riigikogu in early September, the current political situation makes it difficult to secure the necessary support. She noted that there has been no open opposition to Julle Madise’s candidacy, but the current distribution of votes suggests that her election will not be straightforward.
The expert described as natural the desire of politicians to learn more about Madise’s views—particularly regarding foreign and security policy, domestic issues, and family policy. In Arras’s opinion, the potential candidate should publicly present her positions as soon as possible.
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Commenting on Tiit Land’s candidacy, Arras did not rule out that the presence of alternative candidates could serve the opposition’s interests ahead of the Riigikogu elections, which are set to take place in six months. In her assessment, opposition forces will be in no hurry to support a candidate who is increasingly associated with the coalition. At the same time, Madise herself has stated her desire to remain impartial and to be a candidate for everyone.
The nomination period will run from August 21 to 24. Three rounds of voting in the Riigikogu are scheduled for September 2–3, and at least 68 votes are required to elect the president. If parliament fails to elect the head of state, the process will move to a 208-member regional electoral college, which will convene in Tallinn. If that fails, the procedure will return to the Riigikogu, and the Parliament’s Council of Elders will be called upon to select a candidate for the vote. The last time this stage of the procedure took place was in October 2016, when Kersti Kaljulaid was elected president.
