Isamaa lawmakers to meet presidential hopeful Tiit Land

The Isamaa parliamentary faction will meet presidential hopeful Tiit Land on Wednesday, party leader Urmas Reinsalu said on social media, ERR reported.

“The proposal by the rectors and the president of the Academy of Sciences for parliament to consider Rector Tiit Land for the presidency is a serious signal to society and members of parliament,” Reinsalu wrote. He also praised Land for clearly stating that he was prepared to take responsibility.

Centre Party leader Mihhail Kõlvart said on Tuesday that Land was a strong presidential candidate and that his willingness to run was good news for Estonia.

“His strengths include both an academic background and political neutrality. As we experienced with Alar Karis, a scientific or even scholar-like approach has proved substantive and constructive in making sense of what is happening in the world,” Kõlvart said.

A candidate for president must receive the support of at least 21 members of the Riigikogu, Estonia’s parliament, to be nominated.

Land was proposed as a presidential candidate by the rectors of Estonia’s higher education institutions, Hanna Kanep, secretary-general of the Council of Rectors, and Mart Saarma, president of the Academy of Sciences.

“I have thought seriously about this and am ready to run if I am nominated. I am encouraged by my long-term management experience and recognition in the fields of education and science. I have studied and worked abroad, and international communication is familiar to me,” Land wrote on social media.