Riigikogu

The Riigikogu (from riigi-, of the state, and kogu, assembly) is the parliament of Estonia. All important state-related questions pass through the Riigikogu. In addition to approving legislation, the Riigikogu appoints high officials, including the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and elects (either alone or, if necessary, together with representatives of local government within a broader electoral college) the President. The Riigikogu also ratifies significant foreign treaties that impose military and proprietary obligations, bring about changes in law, etc.; approves the budget presented by the government as law and monitors the executive power.

History

Early elections

April 23, 1919, the opening session of the Estonian Constituent Assembly is the birthday of the Estonian Parliament. The first elections to the Riigikogu took place in 1920. From 1920 to 1938, there were five more elections to the Riigikogu, but several were on the basis of different constitutions. In 1920–1923 there was a closed list, while from 1926 to 1934 there was an optional open list choice. The basis of election was until 1932 proportional representation. The elections were on a regional basis, without any threshold in the first two elections, but from 1926 a moderate threshold (2%) was used.

Division

1938–1940 the Riigikogu was divided into two chambers: The Riigivolikogu (lower chamber) and the Riiginõukogu (upper chamber).

It was replaced by the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (August 25, 1940–1990) and the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia (May 8, 1990 – September 29, 1992).

Toompea castle

Since 1922, the sessions of the Riigikogu have taken place in the Toompea castle, where a new building in the exquisite expressionist and in an unusually modern style was erected to the former courtyard of the medieval castle in 1920–1922. During the subsequent periods of Soviet (1940–41), German (1941–44) and second Soviet occupation of Estonia (1944–1991) the Riigikogu was disbanded. The castle and the building of Riigikogu was used by the Supreme Soviet of Estonian SSR.

Independence from the Soviet Union

In September 1992, a year after Estonia had regained its independence from the Soviet Union, elections to the Riigikogu took place according to the Constitution of Estonia adopted in the summer of the same year. According to the 1992 constitution, the Riigikogu has 101 members. The present Riigikogu was elected on March 4, 2007. The main differences between this system and a pure political representation system are the established 5% national threshold, and the use of a modified d'Hondt formula (the divisor is raised to the power 0.9). This modification makes for more unproportionality than does the usual form of the formula.

Current seats allocation

Riigikogu

Parliament building in Toompea Castle: the seat of the Parliament.

• Reform Party 32,
  • leader: Andrus Ansip, Prime Minister
• Centre Party 28,
  • leader: Edgar Savisaar
• Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica 19,
  • leader: Mart Laar
• Social Democratic Party of Estonia 13,
  • leader: Jüri Pihl
• Estonian Greens, 6
  • leaders: Peeter Jalakas, Airi Hallik-Konnula, Mikk Sarv and Tanel Tammet
• People's Union 2,
  • leader: Arvo Sirendi
• Independents 1,
  • Jaan Kundla

Speakers of the Riigikogu

• Otto Strandmann January 4, 1921 – November 18, 1921
• Juhan Kukk November 18, 1921 – November 20, 1922
• Konstantin Päts November 20, 1922 – June 7, 1923
• Jaan Tõnisson June 7, 1923 – May 27, 1925
• August Rei June 9, 1925 – June 22, 1926
• Karl Einbund June 22, 1926 – July 19, 1932
• Jaan Tõnisson July 19, 1932 – May 18, 1933
• Karl Einbund May 18, 1933 – August 29, 1934
• Rudolf Penno September 28, 1934 – December 31, 1937

Speakers of the Riigivolikogu (lower chamber)

• Jüri Uluots April 21, 1938 – October 12, 1939
• Otto Pukk October 17, 1939 – July 5, 1940
• Arnold Veimer July 21, 1940 – August 25, 1940

Speaker of the Riiginõukogu (upper chamber)

• Mihkel Pung April 21, 1938 –July 5, 1940

Chairman of the Supreme Council (1990–1992)

• Arnold Rüütel March 29, 1990 – October 5, 1992

Speaker of the Supreme Council (1990–1992)

• Ülo Nugis March 29, 1990 – October 5, 1992

Speakers of the Riigikogu (after 1992)

• Ülo Nugis October 21, 1992 – March 21, 1995
• Toomas Savi March 21, 1995 – March 31, 2003
• Ene Ergma March 31, 2003 – March 23, 2006
• Toomas Varek March 23, 2006 – April 2, 2007
• Ene Ergma April 2, 2007 – Present

External links

• Template:Et icon Riigikogu's website
• Template:En icon Riigikogu's website
• Template:En icon Riigkogu's election law
• Template:Et icon Riigikogu's history

See also

• Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic