Ulle Madise elected as Estonia's new President for five-year term

Ulle Madise elected as President of Estonia

Tallinn, September 3

As per TASS, the members of Estonia's Riigikogu parliament elected Madise as the president of the Baltic country via secret ballot. It was reported that while 71 lawmakers voted for Madise, seven did not support her candidacy.

Madise was the lone candidate in the election. Alar Karis, who had led the country since 2021, did not seek a second term for personal reasons, TASS said.

Estonia's parliament conducts its election for the president by secret ballot.

The candidates for head of state must be Estonian citizens by birth and at least 40 years old. To win the presidency, a candidate must secure more than two-thirds of lawmakers' votes, or at least 68 votes, TASS reported.

Madise, 51, is a lawyer who holds a doctorate in law.

She previously worked at the Justice Ministry and the parliament's Constitutional Committee, and served as a legal adviser to the president and dealt with constitutional review matters.

Since 2015, she has served as Chancellor of Justice, an independent official overseeing the legality of the legislative and executive branches.

TASS reported that representatives of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia challenged the legality of her eligibility to run, arguing that combining the posts of Chancellor of Justice and presidential candidate violated the separation of powers.

The Supreme Court, Estonia's highest judicial authority, rejected the complaint, it said.

In a post on X, Estonia's ex-president Alar Karis on Wednesday extended Madise greetings on the election to the post.

"Congratulations, Ülle Madise, on your election as the next President of Estonia. Parliament has made its choice, and I will soon hand over the office to you. Serving as head of state is a great honour and an even greater responsibility. I wish you strength, wisdom and resolve," he said.

— ANI