The Riigikogu is the parliament of Estonia. All important state-related questions pass through the Riigikogu; in addition to approving legislation, the Riigikogu appoints high officials, including the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and elects (either alone or, if necessary, together with representatives of local government within a broader electoral college) the President. The Riigikogu also ratifies significant foreign treaties that impose military and proprietary obligations, bring about changes in law, etc.; approves the budget presented by the government as law and monitors the executive power.

The first elections to the Riigikogu took place in 1920. From 1920 to 1938 there were five more elections to the Riigikogu, but several were on the basis of different constitutions. In 1920-1923 there was a closed list, while from 1926 to 1934 there was an optional open list choice. The basis of election was always proportional representation. The elections were on a regional basis, without any threshold in the first two elections, but since 1926 a moderate threshold (2%) has been used.

Since 1922 the sessions of the Riigikogu have taken place in the Toompea castle, where one wing was rebuilt for use of the Riigikogu. During the subsequent periods of Soviet (1940-41), German (1941-1944) and, again Soviet occupation of Estonia (1944-1991) the Riigikogu was disbanded.

In September 1992, a year after Estonia had regained its independence from the Soviet Union, elections to the Riigikogu took place according to the Constitution of Estonia adopted in the summer of the same year. According to the 1992 constitution the Riigikogu has 101 members. The present Riigikogu was elected on March 2, 2003. The main differences between this system and a pure PR system are the established 5% national threshold, and the use of a modified d'Hondt formula (the divisor is raised to the power 0.9). This modification makes for more unproportionality than does the usual form of the formula.

Latest election

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Current seats allocation

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• Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 32,
  • leaders: Tõnis Lukas, Taavi Veskimägi
• Reform Party 22,
  • leader: Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister
• Centre Party 20,
  • leader: Edgar Savisaar, Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications
• People's Union 16,
  • leader: Villu Reiljan, Minister of the Environment
• Social Democratic Party of Estonia 9,
  • leader: Ivari Padar
• independent MPs:
  • Liina Tõnisson (former social-liberal group)
  • Imre Sooäär (was a member of Res Publica and had abandoned the faction since 20 February 2005)

The Social Democratic Party has since 31 March 2005 been in an agreement with social-liberals. This agreement declares their co-operation in parliament and in local council election in 2005.

External links

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• Riigikogu's website (Estonian)
• Riigikogu's website (English)
• Riigkogu's election law (English)

Politics of Estonia | National legislatures | Parliaments by country

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