Michal said he supports Chancellor of Justice Ülle Madise and believes she would make a good president.

"We have one candidate with the support of about 60 MPs, and more signatures are gradually coming in," Michal said Thursday, calling it good news. "This means the presidential election has its first candidate eligible to be elected in the Riigikogu."

The prime minister said said parties are still in talks with Land, the rector of Tallinn University of Technology, and Mart Helme, the founder and deputy chair of the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), but expects Land to be nominated.

"That should make the election rounds in the Riigikogu interesting," he added.

'I don't understand what's stopping them'

Minister of Education and Research and Eesti 200 chair Kristina Kallas said the political expectations surrounding the election do not reflect the constitutional system established for electing the president.

"The idea that Estonia's president is simply appointed or that this is a contest between top officials makes a mockery of our constitutional order," Kallas said, emphasizing that the president's role in Estonia as head of state isn't significant enough to require such a broad public mandate.

"The law provides for the president to be elected by the Riigikogu," she added. "We don't have nationwide campaigns, debates or public forums."

Kallas praised the work the Riigikogu has put into the process over the summer, noting that the process is less a traditional election and moreso an agreement on who will represent Estonia for the next five years.

With more than 60 MPs agreeing by now that that should be Madise, Kallas urged other parties to skip any political games, show good statesmanship and join in her support.

"If the other parties say they have no reservations or fundamental ideological objections to Madise, I don't understand what's stopping them from supporting her," the Eesti 200 chair said. "Our job is to come together and elect a president."

She added that Madise's international standing and strong knowledge of the Constitution would make her well suited to the role.

'This isn't some game'

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna (Eesti 200) said every MP in his party's parliamentary group has already signed in support of Madise. "Eesti 200 stands 100 behind what we've said," he said.

He urged parties to put aside political maneuvering connected to the 2027 Riigikogu elections and focus first on their responsibility to Estonia.

"This isn't some domestic political game where it's all fun and games and we take shots at one another," Tsahnka continued. "Look around you — we haven't seen geopolitical turmoil like this since the Soviet Union, and it affects our security as well. Never forget that independence cannot be taken for granted."

The Riigikogu will convene to elect the next president of Estonia on September 2, with candidates to be formally nominated August 21–24.

Click here to read more about various potential candidates in this year's race.

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