The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the Bill restricting the right to vote

The Bill on Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia (536 SE), initiated by 61 Members of the Riigikogu, provides that Estonian citizens and stateless residents as well as citizens of the EU and NATO countries will be able to participate in municipal council elections. At present, in addition to Estonian and EU citizens, the right to participate in local elections 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.

According to the initiators of the Bill, the amendment will give the right to vote to citizens of countries that share democratic values and have overlapping security interests with the Estonian state, as well as to stateless people residing in Estonia who have no loyalty or other obligations to any other country.

Before the second reading, the Constitutional Committee had decided to support the motion to amend submitted by 43 Members of the Riigikogu to omit from the bill, in order to avoid repetition, the sentence according to which the conditions and procedure for entering stateless persons and aliens with the right to vote on lists of voters would be provided for by law. The committee had not accepted another motion to amend the Bill submitted by 23 Members of the Riigikogu. It was intended to revoke the right to vote in local elections for third-country nationals as well as stateless persons residing in Estonia.

Helle-Moonika Helme, Rene Kokk, Mart Helme, Evelin Poolamets, Anti Poolamets, Rain Epler, Martin Helme, Kert Kingo, Siim Pohlak, Varro Vooglaid and Arvo Aller from the Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group, Helir-Valdor Seeder, Riina Solman, Mart Maastik, Urmas Reinsalu and Tõnis Lukas from Isamaa  Parliamentary Group, Ando Kiviberg, Peeter Tali and Kalev Stoicescu from Estonia 200  Parliamentary Group, Eduard Odinets and Madis Kallas from the Social Democratic Party Group, Vladimir Arhipov, Aleksei Jevgrafov, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart and Vadim Belobrovtsev from the Centre Party Group and Jaanus Karilaid, Henn Põlluaas, Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski, Kalle Grünthal and Ants Frosch took the floor during the debate.

The Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and the Estonian Centre Party Group moved to suspend the second reading of the Bill. The result of voting: 17 in favour, 61 against. The motion was not supported.

The second reading of the Bill was concluded and the deadline for motions to amend was set for 5.15 p.m. on 11 March.

After the second reading of the Bill, members of the Riigikogu can submit motions to amend the bill again if at least one fifth of the members of the Riigikogu, that is, at least 21 members of the Riigikogu submit them. The third reading of a Bill amending the Constitution where the method of amending the Constitution is also decided can take place when at least a month has passed since the second reading.

At the beginning of the sitting, the Riigikogu changed the working schedule according to which the sitting would last until the end of the proceedings on Bill (536 SE).

The sitting ended at 3.09 p.m.

Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)

Video recording will be available to watch later on the Riigikogu YouTube channel.

Riigikogu Press Service
Gunnar Paal
+372 631 6351, +372 5190 2837
gunnar.paal@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: The Riigikogu concluded the second reading of the Bill restricting the right to vote

Source: Parliament of Estonia