Estonia’s Chancellor of Justice, Ülle Madise, said that she would “seriously consider” running for president if there was sufficient support for her candidacy in parliament, ERR reports. Madise noted that as head of an independent constitutional institution, she cannot put herself forward as a candidate. The chancellor of justice “does not and cannot associate herself…
Lithuania’s first prime minister after the restoration of independence, Kazimira Prunskiene, was laid to rest at Antakalnis Cemetery in Vilnius on 6 August 2026, ELTA reports. Earlier, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius stated that today’s government could draw inspiration from Prunskiene’s commitment to public service and sense of responsibility, LRT reported. Juozas Olekas, speaker of the…
Altogether 67 members of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, support the possible presidential candidacy of the country’s Chancellor of Justice, Ülle Madise, according to Kristina Kallas, chairwoman of the liberal coalition party, Estonia 200, ERR reports. She said that support from the opposition Fatherland or Estonian Centre Party was still missing, however. Kallas urged the…
The former commander of the Estonian Defence League, retired major general Riho Ühtegi, has withdrawn from the race to become the country’s next president, ERR reports. He told Postimees that the reason for the decision was a serious health condition. Ühtegi’s candidacy was proposed by a group of prominent public figures in early July 2026….
Estonia’s Chancellor of Justice, Ülle Madise, has expressed her willingness to run for president, provided there is “broad-based support” for her candidacy, Õnne Pillak, leader of the ruling Estonian Reform Party’s parliamentary group, announced, ERR reports. Pillak reaffirmed Reform’s support for Madise’s candidacy and urged other party leaders to state their preference before the upcoming…
The council of elders of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, will meet in early August 2026 to discuss the election of the country’s next president, ERR reports. Parliamentary speaker Lauri Hussar said that the council would meet within the next two weeks. He hoped that all parliamentary parties would come to the meeting with a…
European Commission official Maive Rute has announced that she is willing to run for president of Estonia, ERR reports. Currently, Rute serves as deputy director-general of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, and Entrepreneurship (DG GROW). Her name was first mentioned as a possible presidential candidate by former president Toomas Hendrik Ilves in…
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…
A group of 30 public figures in Estonia have nominated Indrek Laul, CEO of Estonia Piano Factory, for president, ERR reports. The group behind Laul’s candidacy, which includes prominent entrepreneurs, academics, and cultural figures, stressed the need to bring together “knowledge, culture, and entrepreneurship.” Laul said that he would seek to unite “different worldviews, different…
