NordenBladet —
The Riigikogu supported the motion of the Constitutional Committee of the Riigikogu to amend the Constitution as a matter of urgency. Amending the Constitution as a matter of urgency was supported by 92 members of the Riigikogu, and 7 were against. The decision on the on the manner of amending the Constitution required a four-fifths majority of the Riigikogu, which meant that at least four times as many members of the Riigikogu attending the sitting had to vote in favour than against it.
At the final vote, 93 members of the Riigikogu submitted the passing of the Bill on Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia (536 SE), initiated by 61 Members of the Riigikogu. Seven members voted against it. A two-thirds majority of the votes of the members of the Riigikogu, that is, at least 68 votes, were needed for the Bill to amend the Constitution to be passed.
Initially the Bill provided that Estonian citizens and stateless residents as well as citizens of the European Union and NATO countries would be allowed to participate in municipal council elections. As a resolution of the plenary, a motion to amend submitted by 55 members of the Riigikogu was included the Act today, according to which the right to vote in local elections will be revoked for third-country nationals residing in Estonia and, from the next elections after the coming elections, stateless persons will also not be allowed to vote in local elections.
Stateless persons will be allowed to vote at this year’s local elections. The presenters of this proposal said that it would give stateless persons sufficient time to apply for Estonian citizenship if they so wish, and to participate in the next local elections as Estonian citizens. The amendment also excluded the right to vote of the citizens of NATO countries.
Citizens of Estonia and the European Union and stateless residents will be allowed to participate in municipal council elections this year, and from the next elections onwards, only the citizens of Estonia and the EU will be able to participate in local elections.
The second motion to amend, which was submitted by 26 members of the Riigikogu, failed to receive necessary support in the plenary assembly. According to this amendment, the right to vote would have been revoked for both the third-country nationals residing in Estonia and for stateless persons starting from the local elections taking place in October this year.
Under the current law, in addition to Estonian and EU citizens, the right to participate in local elections extends also 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.
Next municipal council elections in Estonia will take place on 19 October this year.
Photos (Erik Peinar / Chancellery of the Riigikogu)
Verbatim record of the sitting (in Estonian)
Riigikogu Press Service
Karin Kangro
+372 631 6356, +372 520 0323
karin.kangro@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee
Link uudisele: The Riigikogu passed constitutional amendment restricting the right to vote
Source: Parliament of Estonia