Estonian President Ülle Madise has nominated Supreme Court justice Oliver Kask as the country’s next chancellor of justice, ERR reports. Madise, who served as justice chancellor until she was sworn in as president, noted that Kask was a highly regarded expert on constitutional law and the protection of fundamental rights. She assured that he would…
Latvia’s new parliament, the Saeima, held its inaugural session on 3 November 2026, swearing in all 100 MPs elected, LSM reported. MPs elected Edvards Smiltens of the United List as speaker of the parliament with 79 votes for and 15 against, LSM reported. He succeeded Daiga Mierina of the Union of Greens and Farmers, which…
The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has lowered the voting age and minimum age for candidates in elections to the European Parliament as of 2029, ERR reports. The amendments will lower the voting age from the current 18 to 16 years and the minimum age for candidates from 21 to 18 years. MPs from the Estonian Reform…
Estonian President Ülle Madise has appointed Paavo Nõgene as director of the Office of the President, ERR reports. Previously, Nõgene served as secretary general of the Ministry of Culture and CEO of the Estonian shipping company, Tallink. Earlier, Rainer Saks joined Madise’s team as her defence and national security adviser, ERR reported. Saks is a member…
The secretary general of the Estonian Foreign Ministry, Jonatan Vseviov, announced that he would resign and run for parliament in elections due in March 2027, ERR reports. Vseviov will represent the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDE). SDE chairman Lauri Läänemets will propose that Vseviov be nominated as the party’s candidate for prime minister. Läänemets will…
The incumbent mayor of the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, Valdas Benkunskas, will seek a second term in office in the municipal elections due to be held in March 2027, BNS reports. If re-elected, he said that his priorities would include renovating residential courtyards and expanding transport infrastructure. Benkunskas, who is a member of the conservative Homeland…
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs has announced that his United List will begin talks on forming a new government with the party’s current coalition partners, the National Alliance and New Unity, LSM reports. United List will meet with leaders of the two other parties on 28 October 2026. The three parties have a combined 58…
Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs suggested holding a consultative popular referendum on Latvia’s possible withdrawal from the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention on violence against women, LETA reports. Kulbergs said that the ruling United List had discussed the idea of a legally non-binding referendum on the question with President Edgars Rinkevics. Kulbergs said that referendum…
Estonia’s liberal coalition party, Estonia 200 (E200), will not merge with the small non-parliamentary party, Estonian Greens (EER), ERR reports. E200’s council met to discuss the issue on 18 October 2026. E200 chief spokesman Johannes Merilai said that a merger would add nothing to E200’s core identity. Also, he noted that EER’s policies differed from…
