"We in the Reform Party have clearly said that we support Ülle Madise's candidacy," Michal told ERR, adding that party members hope she agrees to run. "We would gladly vote for her."

The prime minister said he believes Madise could attract support from both liberal and conservative MPs, commanding the broadest support as future head of state and serving as a unifying figure.

He also called on other political parties to make their positions clear, saying that if broader backing emerges, he believes "Ülle Madise could run and unite the entire political landscape."

Former prime minister and former Reform chair Andrus Ansip said the public has been left with the impression that only Eesti 200 and the Social Democrats (SDE) support Madise as Estonia's next potential president.

"The Reform Party support's Madise's candidacy 100 percent," Ansip said. "There's no hesitation or doubt about it."

The official nomination period for presidential candidates in Estonia opens on August 21, with a minimum of 21 votes needed to officially nominate a candidate in the 101-seat Riigikogu.

To date, only the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), which lacks the votes, has formally named a candidate — party founder and deputy chair Mart Helme.

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