Riigikogu

History

History

23 April 1919, the opening session of the Estonian Constituent Assembly is considered the founding date of the Parliament of Estonia. Established under the 1920 constitution, the Riigikogu had 100 members elected for a three-year term on the basis of proportional representation. Elections were fixed for the first Sunday in May of the third year of parliament. The first elections to the Riigikogu took place in 1920. From 1923 to 1932, there were four more elections to the Riigikogu. The elections were on a regional basis, without any threshold in the first two elections, but from 1926 a moderate threshold (2%) was used. The sessions of the Riigikogu take place in the Toompea Castle, where a new building in an unusual Expressionist style was erected in the former courtyard of the medieval castle in 1920–1922.

In 1933 amendments to the first Constitution were approved by referendum, where more power was given to an executive President. The following year, the President used these new powers to adjourn parliament and declared martial law to avert an alleged coup. In 1937, a second constitution was approved by referendum which saw the introduction of a two chambered legislature, the (Riigivolikogu) and the Riiginõukogu (Riiginõukogu). Elections were subsequently held in 1938 where only individual candidates were allowed to run.

During the subsequent periods of Soviet occupation (1940–41), German occupation (1941–44), and the second Soviet occupation (1944–1991) the Parliament was disbanded. The premises of the Riigikogu were used by the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR during the second Soviet occupation.

Restitution of independence

In September 1992, a year after Estonia had regained its independence from the Soviet Union, elections to the Parliament took place on the basis of the third Constitution of Estonia adopted in a referendum in the summer of the same year. The 1992 constitution, which incorporates elements of the 1920 and 1938 Constitutions and explicitly asserts its continuity with the Estonian state as it existed between 1918 and 1940, sees the return of a unicameral parliament with 101 members. The most recent parliamentary elections were held on 5 March 2023. The main differences between the current system and a pure political representation, or proportional representation, system are the established 5% national threshold, and the use of a modified D'Hondt formula (the divisor is raised to the power 0.9). This modification makes for more disproportionality than does the usual form of the formula.

Latest election

Main article: 2023 Estonian parliamentary election

Current seat allocation

The seat allocation refers to de facto allocation, as defectors from fractions are not allowed to join other ones between elections.

• Reform Party 38
  • party leader: Kristen Michal
• Social Democratic Party of Estonia 14
  • party leader: Lauri Läänemets
• Estonia 200 13
  • party leader: Kristina Kallas
• Conservative People's Party of Estonia 11
  • party leader: Martin Helme
• Isamaa 11
  • party leader: Urmas Reinsalu
• Centre Party 6
  • party leader: Mihhail Kõlvart
• Independents 8

Structure of former legislatures

[[1992 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 1992 election]]

[[1995 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 1995 election]]

[[1999 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 1999 election]]

[[2003 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 2003 election]]

[[2007 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 2007 election]]

[[2011 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 2011 election]]

[[2015 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 2015 election]]

[[2019 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 2019 election]]

[[2023 Estonian parliamentary election|Estonian Parliament after 2023 election]]

Speakers of the Riigikogu

The salary of the speaker is €8318.19 per month.

1921–1937

Speakers of the Riigivolikogu (lower chamber)

Speaker of the Riiginõukogu (upper chamber)

Chairman of the Supreme Council (1990–1992)

Speaker of the Supreme Council (1990–1992)

Since 1992

Chancellery

Established on October 5 of 1992, the Chancellery of the Riigikogu () is the administration supporting the Riigikogu in the performance of its constitutional functions. The departments of the Chancellery perform the daily functions.

According to the Routledge Handbook for Parliamentary Administration, the main functions of the chancellery are:

1. Advising members of the Riigikogu on legislative matters including researching and proposing new systems and practices of parliamentary democracy.
2. Provides administrative services to the Riigikogu
3. Assists the Riigikogu in communicating with the public, including other Estonian government bodies and similar bodies in other nations.
4. Prepares and implements budgets for the Riigikogu, administers its state assets as set out in the State Assets Act, represents the Riigikogu during legal proceedings and in interactions with other institutions of the government.
5. Provides services for the National Electoral Committee as well as the Political Parties Financing Surveillance Committee

Citations and references

Cited sources

References

1. "Riigikogu".
2. "Salaries of MPS".
3. "Riigikogu juhatus".
4. (10 April 2023). "Eesti 200 leader Lauri Hussar elected Riigikogu speaker". ERR.
5. "Chancellery of the Riigikogu".
6. Kalev, Leif. (2023). "The Routledge Handbook of Parliamentary Administration: Part II Section II Chapter 16 Estonia's Parliamentary Administration". Routledge.