Estonia’s Chancellor of Justice, Ülle Madise, has confirmed that she is ready to run for president if there is sufficient support in the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, for her candidacy, parliamentary speaker Lauri Hussar announced, ERR reports. Speaking after a meeting of the parliament’s council of elders, Hussar said that parties would now begin collecting signatures from MPs for Madise’s nomination. Õnne Pillak, chairwoman of the Estonian Reform Party’s parliamentary group, noted that not all parties named their preferred candidate at the council of elders meeting. Reform, Estonia 200, and the Social Democratic Party (SDE) support Madise, while Fatherland and the Estonian Centre Party have not endorsed any candidate yet. Reform’s secretary-general, Kristo Enn Vaga, said that at least three independent MPs and some MPs from Fatherland and the Centre Party would support Madise as well, ERR reported.
Meanwhile, rectors of Estonian higher education institutions proposed Tiit Land, rector of Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), for president, ERR reported. They argued that Estonia needs a president who “combines knowledge, statesmanship, and a vision of the future” and is “able to look beyond day-to-day politics.” Land assured that he would be a “neutral” presidential candidate. Centre Party chairman Mihhail Kõlvart stated that Land, given his political neutrality and academic background, would be a “very strong candidate,” ERR reported. SDE MP Raimond Kaljulaid suggested that both the Centre Party and Fatherland were leaning towards supporting Land, ERR reported. The Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE) has named its founder, Mart Helme, as its candidate. Also, diplomat Hannes Hanso, entrepreneur Indrek Laul, and EU official Maive Rute have announced their readiness to run for president.