Parliamentary election in Estonia 2007
The parliamentary elections in Estonia 2007 took place on Sunday 4th March 2007. It was the election of the 11th Riigikogu of the Republic of Estonia .
Past legislative period
Parties represented in parliament from 2003–2007
- Center Party ( Eesti Keskerakond ), top candidate: Edgar Savisaar
- Estonian Reform Party ( Eesti Reformierakond ), top candidate: Andrus Ansip
- Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit ( Erakond Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit ), top candidate: Mart Laar
- Social Democratic Party ( Sotsiaaldemokraatlik Erakond ), top candidate: Ivari Padar
- Estonian People's Union ( Eestimaa Rahvaliit ), top candidate: Villu Reiljan
2003–2007 parties not represented in parliament
- Estonian Greens ( Erakond Eestimaa Rohelised )
- Estonian Left Party ( Eesti Vasakpartei )
- Estonian Independence Party ( Eesti Iseseisvus Party )
- Constitutional Party ( Konstitutsioonierakond )
- Estonian Christian Democrats ( Erakond Eesti Kristlikud Demokraadid )
- Russian Party in Estonia ( Vene Erakond Eestis )
Electoral system
The Estonian Parliament has 101 members. The legislative period is four years. 12 constituencies were formed for the country. The five percent hurdle applies . The election takes place according to proportional representation .
Suffrage
All Estonian citizens who have reached the age of 18 and are not excluded from voting are entitled to vote. Every voter has one vote. Voters could either cast their votes in a polling station in Estonia on March 4, 2007, vote in advance by postal vote, cast their vote in a pre-election center between February 19 and 23 and February 26 to 28, 2007 Vote on February 17th and 22nd at an Estonian diplomatic mission or cast your vote online between February 26th and 28th.
Voting on the Internet
This year's parliamentary election is remarkable because Estonia is the first EU country to attempt an official online election for parliament. Every citizen can vote on a computer with a card reader over the Internet. All that is required is an Estonian ID card with an electronic chip card and a PIN code.
Participating parties and individual candidates
A total of eleven parties (970 candidates) and seven independent individual candidates competed for the 101 seats in parliament:
Individual candidates: Vello Burmeister, Tõnu Hallik, Svetlana Ivnitskaja, Aare Kambla, Kalev Kodu, Koit Luus and Niina-Inessa Stepanova.
Election programs
- Reform party - lowering of the uniform income tax rate from 22% to 18%, extension of the so-called parental salary from the current one to one and a half years, more kindergarten places. Election slogan: Let's make Estonia one of the five richest countries in Europe! (Estonian: Viime Eesti viie jõukaima Euroopa riigi hulka! ). ( Homepage )
- Center Party - several promises: introduction of tax progression, competitive salaries (increase in wages), increase in pensions, internal security (more intensive fight against crime, alcoholism and drug addiction), more successful health policy that should lead to an increase in life expectancy, etc. ( homepage )
- Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit - calls for reforms in the education system, stronger (financial) support for families and a more innovative economy. Election motto: Happiness does not consist in money! ( Homepage )
- Social Democratic Party - kindergarten places for all families, better health system, foundations to promote rural life, improvement of rural infrastructure, introduction of tax progression (income tax rate of 26% for taxpayers whose income is four times the average salary) ( homepage )
Points of contention
- Taxation policy - Center Party and People's Union call for the introduction of a progressive income tax. The Social Democrats also tend to do so. Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (Conservatives) and Reform Party (Liberals) are categorically in favor of continuing the flat tax. The reform party is even demanding a further lowering of the previous uniform income tax rate (22%) to 18%.
Election result
Estonian Reform Party
According to the election results, the Reform Party won 31, the Center Party 29, the IRL 19, the SDP 10, the People's Union 6 and the Greens 6 seats.
| Political party | be right | Seats | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| number | % | +/- | number | +/- | ||
| Estonian Reform Party (RE) | 153.044 | 27.8 | +10.1 | 31 | +12 | |
| Estonian Center Party (K) | 143,518 | 26.1 | +0.7 | 29 | +1 | |
| Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL) | 98,347 | 17.9 | −14.0 | 19th | −16 | |
| Social Democratic Party (SDE) | 58,363 | 10.6 | +3.6 | 10 | +4 | |
| Green Estonia (EER) | 39,279 | 7.1 | New | 6th | New | |
| Estonian People's Union (ERL) | 39,215 | 7.1 | −5.9 | 6th | −7 | |
| Estonian Christian Democrats Party (EKD) | 9,456 | 1.7 | +0.6 | - | - | |
| Constitutional Party (KP) | 5,464 | 1.0 | −1.2 | - | - | |
| Estonian Independence Party (EIP) | 1,273 | 0.2 | −0.3 | - | - | |
| Russian Party in Estonia (VEE) | 1,084 | 0.2 | ± 0.0 | - | - | |
| Estonian Left Party (EPP) | 607 | 0.1 | −0.3 | - | - | |
| Independent candidates | 563 | 0.1 | −0.3 | - | - | |
| total | 550.213 | 100.0 | 101 | |||
| Valid votes | 550.213 | 99.1 | +0.3 | |||
| Invalid votes | 5,250 | 0.9 | −0.3 | |||
| voter turnout | 555.463 | 61.0 | +2.8 | |||
| Non-voters | 341.780 | 39.0 | −2.8 | |||
| Eligible voters | 897.243 | |||||
| Source: State Electoral Commission | ||||||
Points of contention and possible formation of a government
What is characteristic of the Estonian party system is that, in principle, all parties are capable of forming a coalition with one another.
Even before the presidential election (September 2006), the Center Party and the People's Union had signed a treaty (joint government program) according to which they wanted to form a center-left government after the parliamentary election. According to the election results, a two-party coalition consisting of the Center Party and the People's Union is impossible; a center-left government could only have been formed if the Center Party had won both the Social Democratic Party (10 seats) and the Greens (6 seats) as partners.
A purely right-wing coalition of Reform Party and Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (IRL) is not possible either: These two parties together have 50 seats (out of 101). The conservative politician Tõnis Palts (former mayor of Tallinn ) had called for a governing coalition of “white forces” even before the election (similar calls were made before the 2003 parliamentary elections). This government would consist of the Reform Party, IRL, the Social Democrats and the Greens (if they can get into parliament). The social democratic politician Marju Lauristin also advocates a center coalition consisting of the reform party, IRL and social democrats (similar to the Laar II cabinet ), not a left-wing government of the center party, people's union and SDE. After the election, the IRL politician Marko Mihkelson called for a “pro-Western” and “ideology-based” government made up of the reform party, IRL and SDE. The previous Prime Minister Andrus Ansip also prefers a government that contains both right-wing and left-wing parties.
See also
Web links
- Estonian Electoral Commission (Estonian)
- Election rules for the elections to the Riigikogu (Estonian)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Official election result 2007 State Election Commission (Estonian)
- ↑ Tagesschau Tiger Leap into the Digital Society (tagesschau.de archive)
- ↑ - ( Memento of the original from March 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Article in Estonian - ( Memento of the original from February 20, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ - ( Memento of the original from March 6, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ - ( Memento of the original from March 7, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
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