Kallas says Madise has 67 parliamentary supporters

Estonia 200 party leader and Minister of Education and Research Kristina Kallas said Thursday that Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise currently has 67 supporters in the 101 member Riigikogu, according to ERR.

A minimum of 68 votes is required to elect the president in parliament.

Madise has received support from the Reform Party, the prime minister’s party, which has 37 members in its parliamentary group, as well as two unaffiliated MPs. Estonia 200 has 13 MPs, while the opposition Social Democratic Party has nine members in its parliamentary group and five additional MPs voting with it. One of those MPs, Zuzu Izmailova, has said she does not support Madise.

Kallas said the three parties had 63 votes because of Izmailova’s position and three votes from unaffiliated MPs. Based on the parliamentary group figures, the three groups together have 65 votes, meaning at least three additional votes would be needed to elect the president.

“The missing support is from Isamaa or the Centre Party,” Kallas said.

She said Madise currently had the largest amount of support in the Riigikogu, but that her election depended on decisions by Isamaa and the Centre Party.

“It is incomprehensible to me why they do not tell the people of Estonia what their decision is,” Kallas said, urging the parties to state whether they would support Madise if she were formally nominated.

Kallas said she saw no reason for any party not to support Madise, apart from a possible political interest in portraying the government as incapable before the parliamentary elections and undermining the presidential election. She described Madise as a strong and competent candidate who enjoys broad public support.

The Riigikogu will begin electing the president on September 2, 2026. At least 21 MPs are required to nominate a candidate. Candidates must be Estonian citizens by birth and at least 40 years old.

Candidates can be nominated from August 21 to 24. If necessary, a second and third round of voting will take place in the Riigikogu on September 3. If parliament fails to elect a president, the electoral college will choose one.