Estonian parliament council to discuss presidential election on August 11

Estonian Parliament Speaker Lauri Hussar has convened the Riigikogu Council of Elders, a body made up of the parliament’s board and faction leaders, to discuss the upcoming presidential election and the procedure for choosing Estonia’s next president, ERR reported.

The council will meet on August 11. Hussar said that Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise currently has the broadest support among potential candidates.

Hussar said Madise had told him that if a situation emerged in which a president could be elected with support across political divisions, she would consider it her responsibility to seriously assess the opportunity.

In addition to technical issues, the council will discuss how to put forward a candidate with the broadest possible support, Hussar said.

Nominations for presidential candidates will open on August 21, and the first round of voting is scheduled for September 2.