Estonian President Alar Karis will announce whether he plans to run for a second term in office just after Midsummer Day, which is on 24 June 2026, ERR reports. Urmas Reinsalu, chairman of the national-conservative opposition party, Fatherland, said that the leadership council of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, would not move forward with any other potential candidates before Karis announces his decision. Meanwhile, Lauri Laats, chairman of the parliamentary group of the opposition Estonian Centre Party, said that his party expected Karis to run for reelection. Lauri Läänemets, chairman of the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDE), said that his party’s preference was to support a candidate that could be elected in parliament. He did not rule out SDE supporting Karis. If MPs fail to agree on a president after three votes, the election will move to a regional electoral college.
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