NordenBladet —
The Riigikogu rejected at the first reading the Bill on Amendments to § 5 of the Local Government Council Election Act (530 SE), initiated by Member of the Riigikogu Leo Kunnas. The Bill sought to add a condition to the Act, according to which the citizens of countries that have been declared by the Riigikogu to be a terrorist regime would not be able to vote at local elections. Taking into account that the Riigikogu, in a Statement adopted in October 2022, declared the Russian regime a terrorist regime and the Russian Federation a state sponsor of terrorism, the aim of the Bill was to temporarily suspend the right of Russian citizens to vote at local elections.
In addition to Estonian and EU citizens, the right to participate in local council elections at present extends to aliens who reside in Estonia on the basis of a long-term residence permit or the permanent right of residence, who have attained 16 years of age by the election day and whose permanent place of residence is located in the corresponding rural municipality or city. A Bill amending the Constitution, which seeks to restrict the right to vote at local elections for third-country nationals living in Estonia, is currently in the legislative proceedings of the Riigikogu.
During the debate, Henn Põlluaas took the floor on behalf of Isamaa Parliamentary Group. Igor Taro from Estonia 200 Parliamentary Group and Vadim Belobrovtsev from the Centre Party Group also made speeches.
The Constitutional Committee moved to reject the Bill at the first reading. 41 members of the Riigikogu supported the rejection and 5 were against it.
Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)
Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: The Riigikogu rejected a Bill amending the election law
Source: Parliament of Estonia