Estonian parliamentary election, 2007

  • SDE: 10
  • EER: 6
  • K: 29
  • RE: 31
  • IRL: 19
  • ERL: 6

The parliamentary elections in Estonia in 2007 was held on Sunday, March 4, 2007. It was the election for the 11th Riigikogu of the Republic of Estonia.

  • 6.1 points of contention

Last legislative session

2003-2007 parties represented in parliament

  • Centre Party ( Eesti Keskerakond ), top candidate: Edgar Savisaar
  • Estonian Reform Party ( Eesti Reformierakond ), top candidate: Andrus Ansip
  • Isamaa yes Res Publica Liit ( Erakond Isamaa yes 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 not parties represented in parliament

  • Estonian Green ( Erakond Eestimaa Rohelised )
  • Estonian Left Party ( Eesti Vasakpartei )
  • Estonian Independence Party ( Eesti Iseseisvuspartei )
  • Constitution Party ( Konstitutsioonierakond )
  • Estonian Christian Democrats ( Erakond Eesti Kristlikud Demokraadid )
  • Russian Party in Estonia ( vein Erakond Eestis )

Electoral system

The Estonian parliament has 101 deputies. Elections take place every four years. For the country, 12 constituencies were formed. It is the five-percent hurdle. The election shall be held according to proportional representation.

Suffrage

Are entitled to vote all Estonian citizens who have reached the age of 18 years and are not disqualified from voting. Each voter has one vote. Voters were either cast their votes at a polling station in Estonia on 4 March 2007, in advance by correspondence choose the period 19 to give 23 February and 26 to 28 February 2007 in a code - center her voice, between the choose 17 and 22 February at an Estonian diplomatic mission or leave the voice between the 26 and 28 February the internet.

Voting on the Internet

This year's election is considered noteworthy because the first EU country Estonia attempted to perform an official online election to Parliament. Any citizen can vote on a computer with card reader available on the internet. For this purpose, an Estonian ID card with electronic chip card and a PIN code are only required.

Participating parties and individual candidates

In total, 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 - reduction of the flat income tax rate from 22% to 18%, extend the payment of the so-called parent content from the current one to one and a half years, more nursery places. Election slogan: Let's make Estonia one of the five richest countries in Europe! ( Estonian: Eesti Viime viie jõukaima Euroopa Riigi hulka ). (Homepage)
  • Centre Party - several promises: Introduction of tax progression, competitive salaries ( wage increase ), increase in pensions, internal security ( intensive fight against crime, alcoholism and drug addiction ), successful health policy that will lead to the collection of life expectancy, etc. (Homepage)
  • Isamaa yes Res Publica Liit - requires reforms in the education system, stronger ( financial) support of families and a more innovative economy. Election slogan: Happiness consists not in the money! (Homepage)
  • Social Democratic Party - nursery places for all families, better health care system, foundations for the promotion of rural life, improve rural infrastructure, introduction of progressive taxation (income tax rate of 26% for taxpayers whose income is the average salary fourfold excess ) (Homepage)

Sources: ( Estonian )

Points of contention

  • Taxation policy - Centre Party and People's Union calling for the introduction of a progressive income tax. The Social Democrats also tend to. Isamaa yes Res Publica Liit ( Conservative ) and Reform Party ( Liberals) are categorically for continuation of the flat tax. The Reform Party even requires a further reduction of previous uniform income tax rate ( of 22%) to 18%.

Election result

  • 20-29 %
  • 30-39%
  • 40-49 %
  • 50-59%
  • Center party
  • 20-29 %
  • 30-39%
  • 40-49 %
  • 50-59%
  • 60-69%
  • 70-79 %
  • Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica
  • 20-29 %
  • 30-39%
  • 40-49 %
  • 50-59%
  • Social
  • 20-29 %
  • 30-39%
  • 40-49 %
  • 50-59%
  • Estonian People's Union
  • 20-29 %
  • 30-39%
  • 40-49 %
  • 50-59%
  • 60-69%
  • 80-89 %

According to the election results, the Reform Party 31, the Center Party 29, the IRL 19, SDP 10, the People's Union 6 and the Greens have won six seats.

Points of contention and possible formation of a government

Is Shaping the Estonian party system that in principle all parties are mutually coalition capable.

Even before the presidential election ( September 2006), the Centre Party and People's Union had a contract (joint government program ) closed, alleging they wanted to form a center-left government after the parliamentary elections. A bipartisan coalition of Centre Party and People's Union is impossible according to the election results; a center-left government could only be formed when the Centre Party would have won both the Social Democratic Party ( 10 seats ) and the Greens ( 6 seats) as a partner.

Even a pure right-wing coalition of the Reform Party and Res Publica Isamaa yes Liit (IRL ) is not possible: These two parties have together 50 seats ( out of 101 ). The conservative politician Tonis Palts (former Mayor of Tallinn) had called for a coalition government of the "white forces " before the election ( similar requests already existed before the parliamentary election in 2003 ). This government would from the Reform Party, IRL, the Social Democrats and the Greens (if they gain representation in the Parliament) exist. The social democratic politician Marju Lauristin advocates a centrist coalition consisting of the Reform Party, IRL and the Social Democrats (similar to the Cabinet Laar II), not a left-wing government of the Centre Party, People's Union and SDE. The IRL- politician Marko Mihkelson has government reform party, IRL and SDE " based on belief " is called after the election to a " pro-Western " and. Also, the previous Premierministär Andrus Ansip preferred a government that contains both right-and left-wing parties.

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