Estonia’s newly appointed ambassador to the US, Hannes Hanso, has announced that he would be ready to run for president, ERR reports. Previously, Hanso has served as Estonia’s ambassador to China, defence minister, mayor of Kuressaare, MP, and MEP. He was a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDE) from 2009 to 2019. Speaking in an interview with Vikerraadio, Hanso said that two or three parties had discussed his possible candidacy. He urged other potential candidates to indicate their interest in the presidential contest as well.
Earlier, Mart Helme, founder of the Conservative People’s Party of Estonia, Riho Ühtegi, former commander of the Estonian Defence League, and Indrek Laul, CEO of Estonia Piano Factory, announced their readiness to run for president, ERR reported. Other possible candidates include former president Kersti Kaljulaid, senior diplomat Riina Kionka, former defence minister Jüri Luik, EU deputy foreign policy chief Matti Maasikas, Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise, European Commission official Maive Rute, and Foreign Ministry official Jonatan Vseviov.
Meanwhile, the Estonian Reform Party, Estonia 200 (E200), and SDE have accused the opposition’s Fatherland and Estonian Centre Party of delaying the process of selecting a presidential candidate, ERR reports. Reform, E200, and SDE have all stated that they would back Ülle Madise, while Fatherland and the Centre Party have not taken a stand on her possible candidacy. E200 leader Kristina Kallas suggested that the vacillation was linked to the upcoming parliamentary elections. Madise herself has not given her consent to run.