Ülle Madise is elected the next president of Estonia
The Estonian parliament has elected Ülle Madise, the country's chancellor of justice, as the next president of Estonia. Madise, a constitutional lawyer, secured the position in the first round of voting and will succeed Alar Karis in October.
Why it matters
The election of a new head of state in a frontline European nation is a key political development with implications for regional security and constitutional governance.
Share Tweet LinkedIn Email The Estonian parliament has chosen the country’s long-serving chancellor of justice and one of its leading constitutional lawyers, Ülle Madise, as its next head of state, making her the second woman to hold the office. Madise, 51, received 71 votes in a secret ballot in the 101-seat parliament, the Riigikogu, on Wednesday, passing the two-thirds threshold of 68 required for election in the first round. She was the only candidate on the ballot.
Seventy-eight MPs took part in the vote and seven returned unmarked ballot papers. Twenty-three members did not participate.
Her election makes her the second female president of Estonia. Kersti Kaljulaid, who served from 2016 to 2021 , was the first.
After the result was announced, Madise thanked MPs for their support and trust. “I will do my best to deserve this trust,” she said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in