Kaljurand rules out run in Estonia’s parliamentary election

European Parliament member Marina Kaljurand will not run in Estonia’s parliamentary election, Social Democratic Party chairman Lauri Läänemets confirmed, ERR reported. Jonatan Vseviov is set to lead the party’s list in the Harju and Rapla electoral district.

Läänemets said the party usually places its prime minister candidate at the top of the district list. If the party council confirms Vseviov as its prime minister candidate on Sunday, he will lead the list there. Kaljurand, who ran in the same district in the previous parliamentary election, has said she will not take part this time.

In an interview with ERR in April, Kaljurand also said she did not see herself remaining in politics after her European Parliament term ends.

Party to confirm lists in January

The Social Democratic Party is continuing its practice of placing leading candidates near the bottom of its national list. Läänemets said the party leadership will decide the list’s final order as the last stage of the candidate selection process, likely in early January.

He acknowledged that the system has not always worked well, citing Eiki Nestor as an example, but said it encourages candidates to work harder and gives more of them a chance to enter parliament.

The party will hold an electoral assembly on January 16 to approve its national and district lists, as well as its programme. Läänemets said the lists could still change before then.