Isamaa faction meets proposed presidential candidate Tiit Land

Estonia’s Isamaa parliamentary faction is meeting Tiit Land, who has been proposed as a candidate for president, ERR reported.

Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu said on social media Tuesday that the proposal by university rectors and the president of the Academy of Sciences for Parliament to consider Land for the presidency was a serious signal to society and lawmakers. He also praised Land’s willingness to take responsibility as president.

A presidential candidate must receive the support of 21 members of Parliament to be formally nominated.

Land was proposed 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 management experience and recognition in education and research. I have studied and worked abroad, and international communication is not unfamiliar to me,” Land said on social media Tuesday.

“For the presidency, using a chemical term, I am neutral. I am not the candidate of one political party. The role of the president requires sufficiently broad trust. If members of Parliament find that my experience and values could be useful to Estonia in this role, I am ready to take on that responsibility,” added Land, who is currently rector of Tallinn University of Technology.

Land is also scheduled to meet with the Centre Party on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.