"We don't have a presidential election; we have a competition for a top public office. An election requires at least two candidates and a debate, but we don't have that right now," Kiili told ERR.

He added that he has great respect for Ülle Madise both as a person and as a legal expert, but that does not mean he would vote for her on that basis alone. Kiili said he does not know Madise's positions on her role as supreme commander of national defense, or on foreign policy, social policy and other issues.

Regarding his departure from the Reform Party, Kiili said he made the decision a week and a half ago.

"My own reflection told me that we no longer have any common ground. I continue to support a liberal economy, but we disagree on the issue of the nation-state and particularly on matters concerning national defense," he said.

Kiili said he cannot currently say whether he plans to join another political party or whether he will run in the next Riigikogu elections.

"One thing at a time. So far, I have tried to work across party lines. If I can continue working in national defense and security, then I may continue in politics. If not, I don't have to."

Asked what will happen to the National Defense Committee now that both he and committee chair Kalev Stoicescu have left parties in the governing coalition, Kiili said they would have to wait until the committee meets. According to Kiili, the National Defense Committee is unusual in that votes do not fall along coalition and opposition lines.

"Decisions there were based on expertise and the stronger argument," he said.

Kiili, who until now had been a member of the Reform Party, announced Monday that he had decided to leave the party and continue serving in the Riigikogu as an unaffiliated MP.

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