Seeder says he deliberately withheld signature for Madise

Isamaa MP Helir-Valdor Seeder said Thursday that he deliberately chose not to sign Ülle Madise’s nomination and rejected claims that technical problems prevented him from doing so, ERR reported.

“I had no technological difficulties whatsoever. It is outright defamation in my name to claim that I am so inept that I could not find the right button,” Seeder said on Vikerraadio’s Reporteritund programme.

Among members of parties supporting Madise, the nomination was not signed by Züleyxa Izmailova of the Social Democratic Party and Isamaa MPs Priit Sibul and Seeder.

Seeder said his decision was based on the Constitution, which requires each member of the Riigikogu, Estonia’s parliament, to participate personally in the presidential election. He also said that presidential candidates could be nominated only by individual MPs, not by parties, parliamentary factions or committees.

Because the vote is secret, Seeder said he would not disclose his decision, either now or after the election.

He noted that previous presidential elections had also produced surprises, with expected votes sometimes failing to materialise. Although 75 MPs have nominated Madise, Seeder said it was not known whether she would receive 77, 69 or 72 votes.

Seeder also said that if Estonia introduced direct presidential elections, candidates would emerge through a similar process involving politicians, parties and civil society.

EKRE politician Rain Epler, who also took part in the programme, said he supported direct presidential elections. He argued that a president elected by the public with strong support would receive closer attention from politicians, even if the president’s powers were not changed.

Centre Party politician Peeter Ernits said he would attend and vote in next Wednesday’s presidential election, despite signals from the party that it might not do so. “No one can forbid me from attending and voting,” Ernits said.