The Social Democratic Party is a centre-left political party in Estonia. It is currently led by Lauri Läänemets. The party was formerly known as the Moderate People's Party. The SDE has been a member of the Party of European Socialists since 16 May 2003 and was a member of the Socialist International from November 1990 to 2017. It is orientated towards the principles of social-democracy,and it supports Estonia's membership in the European Union. From April 2023,the party has been a junior coalition partner in the third Kallas government.
The Estonian Independence Party was a far-right nationalist political party in Estonia. The small party,founded in 1999,never had any significant success in the elections,and it was dissolved in 2022. One of the principal aims of the party was the withdrawal of Estonia from the European Union.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Estonia since 1 January 2024. The government elected in the March 2023 election,led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and consisting of the Reform Party,the Social Democrats and Estonia 200,vowed to legalize same-sex marriage. Legislation to open marriage to same-sex couples was introduced to the Riigikogu in May 2023,and was approved in a final reading by 55 votes to 34 on 20 June. It was signed into law by President Alar Karis on 27 June,and took effect on 1 January 2024. Estonia was the first Baltic state,the twentieth country in Europe,and the 35th in the world to legalise same-sex marriage.
Keit Pentus-Rosimannus is an Estonian politician who served as Minister of Finance in the government of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas between 26 January 2021 and 19 October 2022. She is also the vice-chairwoman of the biggest parliament party Reform Party and former chairwoman of its parliamentary faction.
Urmas Reinsalu is an Estonian politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2022 to 2023 and previously from 2019 to 2021. Before that,Urmas has served as the Minister of Defence between 2012 and 2014,and Minister of Justice from 2015 to 2019. Reinsalu is a member and current leader of the Isamaa ("Fatherland") political party,and was the party leader from 2012 to 2015.
Margus Tsahkna is an Estonian politician,leader of new liberal Estonia 200 party since 19 November 2023,former leader of the conservative Isamaa party,former Minister of Defence in Jüri Ratas' cabinet and Minister of Social Protection in Taavi Rõivas' second cabinet. He was sworn in as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the third cabinet of Kaja Kallas on 17 April 2023.
Anne Sulling is an Estonian politician and a member of Riigikogu. She represents the Tartu constituency as a member of the Estonian Reform Party.
Maris Lauri is an Estonian politician,former Minister of Justice and a member of the Reform Party. She was the Minister of Finance in Taavi Rõivas's first cabinet from November 2014 to April 2015 and later as the Minister of Education and Research in 2016. Before her nomination,Lauri worked as the adviser for the Prime Minister. Previously she has worked as the head economist of Swedbank and for the Bank of Estonia.
Jaak Madison is an Estonian politician,the deputy chairman of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia and a member the European Parliament,where he is a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs,Delegation for relations with the United States and a substitute member for the Committee on Constitutional Affairs and the Committee on Civil Liberties,Justice and Home Affairs.
Kalle Palling is an Estonian politician,representing the Reform Party. Palling was first elected to the Riigikogu in 2007 with 714 votes.
An indirect election took place in Estonia in 2016 to elect the president of Estonia,who is the country's head of state. The Riigikogu —the Parliament of Estonia —elected Kersti Kaljulaid to be the next head of state of Estonia to succeed Toomas Hendrik Ilves,who had served his second and final term as president. Kaljulaid is the first female head of state of Estonia.
Andres Ammas was an Estonian politician,representing the Estonian Free Party in the Riigikogu. He was elected with 1,859 votes in the 2015 election.
The Estonian Health Board is an Estonian governmental agency in the area of responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs. The agency contributes to health care and ensures health protection,environmental health,chemical safety,and the safety of medical devices in Estonia through preemptive and complaint-based supervision in the aforementioned domains. Additionally,the agency provides chargeable laboratory services to for example determine drinking water quality.
Parliamentary elections were held in Estonia on 5 March 2023 to elect all 101 members of the Riigikogu. The officially published election data indicate the victory of the Reform Party,which won 37 seats in total,while the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) placed second with 17 seats. The Centre Party won 16 seats,a loss of 10,while Estonia 200 won 14 seats,gaining representation in the Riigikogu.
Electoral district no. 2 is one of the 12 multi-member electoral districts of the Riigikogu,the national legislature of Estonia. The electoral district was established in 1995 following the re-organisation of the electoral districts in Tallinn. It is conterminous with the districts of Kesklinn,Lasnamäe and Pirita in Tallinn. The district currently elects 13 of the 101 members of the Riigikogu using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 parliamentary election it had 111,135 registered electors.
Electoral district no. 3 is one of the 12 multi-member electoral districts of the Riigikogu,the national legislature of Estonia. The electoral district was established in 1995 following the re-organisation of the electoral districts in Tallinn. It is conterminous with the districts of Mustamäe and Nõmme in Tallinn. The district currently elects eight of the 101 members of the Riigikogu using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 parliamentary election it had 71,882 registered electors.
Electoral district no. 5 is one of the 12 multi-member electoral districts of the Riigikogu,the national legislature of Estonia. The district was established as electoral district no. 6 in 1992 when the Riigikogu was re-established following Estonia's independence from the Soviet Union. It was renamed electoral district no. 5 in 1995 following the re-organisation of electoral districts. It is conterminous with the counties of Hiiu,Lääne and Saare. The district currently elects six of the 101 members of the Riigikogu using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 parliamentary election it had 51,093 registered electors.
Electoral district no. 6 is one of the 12 multi-member electoral districts of the Riigikogu,the national legislature of Estonia. The district was established in 2003 when the existing electoral district no. 6 was split into two. It is conterminous with the county of Lääne-Viru. The district currently elects five of the 101 members of the Riigikogu using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 parliamentary election it had 44,583 registered electors.
An indirect election took place in Estonia on 30 and 31 August 2021 to elect the president of Estonia,who is the country's head of state. The Riigikogu —the Parliament of Estonia —elected Alar Karis to serve in the office and he was sworn in as the 6th president on 11 October 2021. The incumbent,Kersti Kaljulaid,was eligible to seek reelection to a second,and final,term but failed to gain the endorsement of at least 21 MPs,which is required in order for a candidate to register,as she was outspoken against some of the policies of the government,who thus denied her support.
Electoral district no. 12 is one of the 12 multi-member electoral districts of the Riigikogu,the national legislature of Estonia. The district was established in 1992 when the Riigikogu was re-established following Estonia's independence from the Soviet Union. It was renamed electoral district no. 11 in 1995 following the re-organisation of electoral districts but reverted to electoral district no. 12 in 2003. It is conterminous with the county of Pärnu. The district currently elects seven of the 101 members of the Riigikogu using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 parliamentary election it had 66,852 registered electors.
