Estonian parliamentary election, 3 March 2019

Summary:

Reports and analyses relating to the legislative elections held in Estonia on 3 March 2019.

Further information:

The 101 seats of the national Parliament (Riigikogu) were elected by proportional representation in twelve multi-member constituencies. Political parties need to pass a nationwide threshold of % percent, but if the number of votes cast for an individual candidate exceeds or equals that quota, they are elected.

The electoral campaign focused on taxation, minorities and the rise of the radical right-wing EKRE party. The election produced a hung parliament and was eventually won by the opposition Reform party (34 seats), followed by the governing Centre party (26 seats) and EKRE (19 seats), which almost tripled their presence in Parliament.

• Formation of Estonian government following parliamentary election in March 2019

Commentary and Analysis

Robert Schuman Foundation, 12/02/2019: Will the Centre Party manage to retain office in Estonia? https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/eem/1787-will-the-centre-party-manage-to-retain-office-in-estonia

The Economist, 28/02/2019: Moldova and Estonia show how different democracies can be https://www.economist.com/europe/2019/03/02/moldova-and-estonia-show-how-different-democracies-can-be

Wikipedia: 2019 Estonian parliamentary election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Estonian_parliamentary_election

ERR News, 04/03/2019: Centre party dropped the ball https://news.err.ee/916451/opinion-centre-party-dropped-the-ball

Euro|topics, March 2019: Estonia: Reform Party back in power https://www.eurotopics.net/en/215670/

IFES Election Guide: Estonian Election for Parliament, 3 March 2019 http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3095/

OSW: Analyses, 05/03/2019: Estonia: the liberal Reform Party returns to power https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2019-03-05/estonia-liberal-reform-party-returns-to-power

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News

EurActiv, 25/02/2019: Estonian far-right party holds torchlight march ahead of polls https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/estonian-far-right-party-holds-torchlight-march-ahead-of-polls/

Reuters, 03/03/2019: Estonian center-right opposition wins elections https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN1QK001

Deutsche Welle, 03/03/2019: Estonia awaits election results amid far-right surge https://p.dw.com/p/3EMIY

The Guardian, 04/03/2019: Estonia election: opposition Reform party wins but far-right support doubles https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/03/estonia-election-centrist-parties-far-right

BBC News, 03/03/2019: Estonia general election: Opposition party beats Centre rivals https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-47430993

Postimees, 04/03/2019: Reform takes convincing win over Center https://news.postimees.ee/6537201/reform-takes-convincing-win-over-center

EurActiv, 04/03/2019: Pro-EU opposition wins Estonian elections, far right makes big gains https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/estonian-centre-right-opposition-wins-elections-far-right-makes-big-gains/

Euronews, 04/03/2019: Estonia's centre-right opposition party wins general election https://www.euronews.com/2019/03/03/estonian-centre-right-opposition-heads-toward-election-win

Politico, 04/03/2018: Estonia’s opposition Reform party wins election https://www.politico.eu/article/estonias-opposition-reform-party-wins-election-kaja-kallas-juri-ratas/

ERR News: 2019 Riigikogu Election https://news.err.ee/k/2019-riigikogu-election

Postimees, 04/03/2019: Kaja Kallas: our first choice is a government with Isamaa and SDE https://news.postimees.ee/6537206/kaja-kallas-our-first-choice-is-a-government-with-isamaa-and-sde

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Official

OSCE: ODIHR: Estonian Parliamentary Elections, 3 March 2019 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/estonia/409205

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