Estonian parliamentary election, 1940
The Estonian parliamentary election in 1940 was held on 14 and 15 July. It was the first Communist sham elections in Estonia after its Soviet occupation in June 1940.
Soviet occupation
The Republic of Estonia was independent in February 1918. In the Treaty of Tartu of 2 February 1920, the Soviet Union recognized the independence of Estonia "at all times" to. 1921 Estonia joined the League of Nations.
In the secret Additional Protocol to the German - Soviet Non-Aggression Pact ( " Hitler -Stalin Pact " ) on 23 August 1939, the Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union divided Eastern Europe into spheres of interest. Among other things, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Lithuania and later fell to the Soviet sphere of interest.
Under the threat of military force, the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian governments agreed in 1939 to after the Soviet invasion of Poland, the stationing of troops of the Red Army in their countries. The stationing troops were initially limited to certain bases. The team strength of the Soviet armed forces in Estonia was limited to 25,000. The Estonian Defence Forces possessed at this time of an army of 15,000 men.
The Republic of Finland, who asked not to succumb to pressure from Moscow to the stationing of Soviet forces and cessions of territory was invaded militarily in November 1939 by the Soviet Union. The Finnish- Soviet Winter War began.
The Soviet Union remained despite stationed in Estonia the Red Army troops by mid- 1940 largely from the Estonian domestic politics away. On June 17, 1940 but took over - after an ultimatum to the Estonian government from the day before - the Red Army power in Estonia. More Soviet troops crossed the border from Russia. The Estonian Defence Forces were disarmed. Over 100,000 Soviet troops were stationed in June in Estonia. As envoy Stalin took over his confidant Andrei Zhdanov de facto power in the country. The Estonian Prime Minister Jüri Uluots had submitted his resignation on 16 June 1940.
Thus, the Soviet occupation of Estonia and the end of the Estonian independence were sealed. The new Soviet leaders came it now vital to give the change of power a "democratic" painting.
Soviet takeover
On 21 June 1940, the Soviet occupation forces in Tallinn and eleven other places staged demonstrations demanding the dismissal of the civil Estonian government and the " improvement of living conditions ".
On the same day appointed the Estonian President Konstantin Pats, who since 1934 authoritarian regime with the help of the military since a bloodless coup in Estonia, to pressure from Moscow, the Estonian writer Johannes Vares as Prime Minister and a leftist Moscow puppet government of intellectuals and members of the workers' movement.
The new government took office with the inauguration by President Pats on 22 June 1940. Members included (yet) to no members of the formerly banned Communist Party of Estonia. Most of its members, however, were people who were receptive to the experiment of communism in principle. The new government did not play an independent role. She stayed only following orders Zhdanov.
Dissolution of Parliament
In the government meeting on July 5, 1940 President Pats dissolved at the behest Zhdanov, the two chambers of the Estonian Parliament ( Rahvuskogu ) to (RT 1940, 60, 565 ). The government Johannes Vares sat on the same day early elections for the first chamber, the last selected in February 1938 Riigivolikogu (RT 1940, 60, 566 ). The parliamentary election was to take place on 14 and 15 June 1940.
Simultaneously, the government passed changes to the existing electoral law. Each candidate had to present at least 50 supporters signatures. The deadline for submission of nominations July 10, 1940 was determined. It remained for the candidates so that only four days to stand for election.
With effect from 9 July, the government passed another hurdle that would prevent independent candidates. There was a regulation in force, according to which all candidates by 10 July, 14.00 clock, make a written election program the authorities had (RT 1940, 64, 992 ).
At the same time the Soviet authorities took control over the electoral authorities. The State Election Commission ( Valimiste Peakomitee ) and the election commissions in the constituencies and polling stations were staffed by people who trusted the new communist rulers.
Determination of the candidates
Full Estonia was divided before 1940 in eighty constituencies. It was in each constituency a majority vote.
The 80 Communist representatives as candidates under the newly established on June 6, choice block " Estonian Union of the working people " ( Eesti Töötava Rahva Liit - ERTL ).
Although civil and nationally minded attempted independent candidates - coordinated mainly by the former Estonian Prime Minister Jaan Tõnisson - to stand for election. Applicants who are not of the "Union of the working people " belonged, but had no chance of being allowed to vote. They met fierce resistance of the new rulers.
Of the original counter- candidates ( among them well-known democratic politicians like Jaan Tõnisson, Aleksander Rei, Ants Piip, Heinrich Mark, Johan Pitka, Mihkel Rouk, August Leps and Oskar Köster ) waived sixteen "voluntarily" his candidacy, one was arrested, and 58 other the passive right to vote was denied for various reasons. The reason was mainly argued that it constitutes " enemies of the people ". The legally required election manifestos of the candidates were randomly not recognized.
Only a bourgeois candidates, Jüri - Rajur Liivak (1912-2000), it was possible to actually be allowed to vote. However, began a smear campaign against him, suggested his criminal activities. He was defeated as expected left its competitors, who received 100 % of the valid votes in the elections. Liivak was arrested in January 1941 by the Soviet authorities.
The elections were held under the supervision of the Red Army. In the eighty constituencies total of 1,350 polling stations have been set up. Elected was the one candidate who received the relative majority of the votes in his constituency.
In the election itself, voters were intimidated and falsified results.
The elections took place contrary to the provisions of the Estonian electoral law. Legally had in the 79 constituencies in which only one candidate standing for election must be held no choice - the candidate would be selected automatically. However, this statutory provision did not fit into the concept of the Soviet rulers, who wanted to create through the sham elections a "democratic " legitimacy.
Official election results
The new rulers agreeable results of the parliamentary elections was officially announced on 17 July 1940. After that, the turnout was 84.1 per cent ( 591 030 votes cast ) at 703,000 registered voters. Of these, 92.9 percent voted ( 548 631 votes) for the Communist election platform " Union of the working people ."
All 80 Communist candidates were elected it. 7.2 percent of the vote ( 42 399 ) were invalid. The only approved for election independent candidate received no vote according to the official results.
New Parliament
The newly elected Communist deputies formed the new Riigivolikogu, the first chamber of Parliament. He went from 21 to July 23, 1940 together for the first time. His legislative period was five years after the law.
The second chamber of parliament, the Riiginõukogu, was not re-determined and eliminated from the first chamber.
On July 21, 1940, the Parliament unanimously named the Republic of Estonia in Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic by (RT 1940, 74, 733 ).
The new Estonian Parliament asked two days later to be admitted as a union republic in the Soviet Union. This request was granted on August 6, 1940.
The Riigivolikogu sat next step from President Pats, who was deported in late July with his family into the interior of Russia.
Parliament also adopted a land reform in the Soviet style and nationalized major companies and financial institutions.
Parliament set about drafting a new constitution Estonian Soviet model, which was adopted on 25 August 1940. The new Estonian Constitution had been three days earlier approved by the Central Committee of the CPSU.
The Riigivolikogu renamed itself on 25 August 1940 in " Provisional Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic " to. From 7 April 1941, the Parliament " Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic " was.
From 21 July to 25 August 1940, the Communist Arnold Veimer exercised the office of President of Parliament. He was replaced by Voldemar Sassi, who held the office until July 1941.