Gallery: EKRE holds protest ahead of presidential vote
The Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) held a protest Wednesday in front of the parliament building before the Riigikogu's extraordinary session to demand the introduction of direct presidential elections.
EKRE said Estonia's current presidential election system has nothing to do with real elections and is instead an agreement made in party backrooms, with the result formalized through a Riigikogu vote. A head of state appointed this way is, in EKRE's view, inevitably politically dependent and lacks public trust. EKRE wants to amend the constitution so people can elect the president themselves.
The EKRE faction will not take part in Wednesday's Riigikogu session, where the parliament will begin electing the president, because the party supports its own candidate, Mart Helme.
Helme was not nominated for the first round in the Riigikogu as he did not have enough support among lawmakers. If the Riigikogu does not elect a president, EKRE will continue Helme's presidential campaign and is prepared to nominate him in the electoral college.
--
Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Argo Ideon
