The Estonian Coalition nominates Alaris Karis, Director of the National Museum, as President

The Estonian coalition is nominating Alar Karis for the presidencyRihards Plūme00:00 / 02:49

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Until now, the Estonian ruling parties have not been able to agree on an official presidential candidate who could count on the support of the required number of deputies. Among the possible candidates were the Speaker of the Parliament and the leader of the Center Party Jiri Ratass and the President of the Estonian Academy of Sciences Tarmo Somere.

Also the readiness to run for a second five-year term said current President Kersti Kaljulaida, whose term of office expires on 10 October. However, she does not have sufficient support from the parties represented in parliament.

Meanwhile, dozens of public figures sent a public call on Sunday to the Saeima and the Electoral College to elect former parliamentary speaker Henna Pelluas as president. He has been nominated by the Conservative People’s Party or EKRE, but there will probably be no other party support for this candidacy either.

At the same time, the highest hopes are placed on the director of the National Museum Alar Karis. On Sunday, his candidacy was supported by the coalition’s Reform Party and the Center Party. Kariss, 63, is a graduate of the Estonian University of Natural Sciences, majoring in biologist. Formerly Rector of the University of Natural Sciences, Rector of the University of Tartu, and from 2013 to 2018 – Auditor General of Estonia. He has been the director of the Estonian National Museum since 2018. The director of the Estonian National Museum is a good candidate, and he could also gain more support among the deputies. That is what the leader of the Center Party, Jiri Ratass, said, who was the first to nominate Karis last Tuesday.

More support will certainly be needed, as reformists and centrists in parliament have a total of 59 votes, but the election of a president requires 68 votes.

On Monday, the presidential candidate will meet with the opposition factions of the Social Democratic Party and the Fatherland Party. If at least one of these groups votes for Karis, his election as president will be secured.

On the other hand, if no candidate in the parliament is able to obtain the required majority, an electoral college will be convened, consisting of members of parliament and local government representatives, in which the candidate must obtain more than half of the votes of the college members for election. The candidate may be nominated by 21 members of parliament or 21 members of the electoral college. Each Member or member of the College may, with his or her signature, support the nomination of only one candidate.

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