Riigikogu Speaker Lauri Hussar (Eesti 200) and the Riigikogu's Council of Elders discussed the organization of the upcoming presidential election on Tuesday morning. The head of state is elected by the parliament not directly by the public.

"We agreed that all parliamentary groups would discuss a possible date for the presidential election. And we discussed September 2 and 3 as potential dates for the first, second, and third rounds of the presidential election to take place in the Riigikogu," said Hussar.

The schedule for the Electoral College will also be based on that.

Amendments to the President of the Republic Election Act to move up the candidate registration deadline for the presidential election also need to be passed by the Riigikogu, Hussar said.

The group also discussed how to find a presidential candidate with the broadest possible support, he added. Additionally, the members unanimously decided to continue with the extended Council of Elders format, in which each Riigikogu parliamentary group is represented by two members.

"The extended Council of Elders format is a very good sign that we are genuinely trying to find a presidential candidate in the Riigikogu with broad support," said the speaker of the Riigikogu.

Hussar said the extended council will convene again on February 26 to discuss a candidate.

Riigikogu Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller (EKRE) said he does not have much faith that one will be found.

"These soundings are taking place. Parliamentary groups and party leaders are all feeling things out, maybe even searching for a common candidate, but parties will still definitely move forward with their own candidates," he said.

Reform: If Karis has support, we will not object

Chair of the Reform Party parliamentary group Õnne Pillak said the Riigikogu had taken a solid step forward in the direction of finding a common presidential candidate.

"We'll meet again at the end of February to talk more specifically about the criteria, about what kind of person the next president of Estonia should be. And to find a common candidate who could preferably be elected in the Riigikogu, but if that doesn't succeed, we're also fine with the president being elected by the Electoral College, because a president is a president," Pillak said.

Pillak stated that the next president should be competent in foreign and security policy. However, she also said that one cannot claim that current President Alar Karis is not strong in this area.

"The current president, Alar Karis, has been a balanced president. And if he has majority support in this extended Council of Elders, then we certainly will not stand in the way of discussing Alar Karis as a candidate for a second term," Pillak said.

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