Three unaffiliated MPs back Ülle Madise for president

Three unaffiliated members of Estonia’s Riigikogu, Kersti Sarapuu, Enn Eesmaa and Tõnis Mölder, have announced their support for presidential candidate Ülle Madise, ERR reported.

In a statement, the MPs said they valued Madise’s willingness to listen, discuss issues and engage substantively with questions about Estonia’s future.

“Meeting Madise and the discussions that followed led us to support her candidacy. Listening to her views on the difficult issues facing the Estonian state confirmed to us that Madise has the qualities needed for the role of president and an understanding of the responsibility of governing the state,” they said.

The three MPs described Madise’s work as chancellor of justice as balanced and impartial. They said she had carried out her duties with dedication, substance and consistency.

They said they hoped to see Madise as president defending the Constitution and the interests of the state, listening to different parties and maintaining balance in difficult situations.

“The purpose of the Constitution is to achieve cross-party support in presidential elections. Madise is earning that support today, and this is an important sign for Estonia’s political culture,” Eesmaa, Sarapuu and Mölder said.

They also thanked Tiit Land, a rector who presented his vision during a meeting and contributed to making the debate between presidential candidates more substantive.

As of Tuesday, three other unaffiliated Riigikogu members, Leo Kunnas, Kalev Stoicescu and Meelis Kiili, had signed their support for Land.

Madise has now secured 77 votes. At least 68 votes are needed to elect the president.

Last Thursday, 62 Riigikogu members from the governing Reform Party and Estonia 200, as well as the opposition Social Democratic Party, signed in support of Madise’s nomination.

Social Democrat Züleyxa Izmailova has not announced her final decision. She told ERR on Tuesday evening that she would not sign the nomination of Madise or any other candidate.