2003 Estonian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Estonia on 2 March 2003. The newly elected 101 members of the 10th Riigikogu assembled at Toompea Castle in Tallinn within ten days of the election. Two opposing parties won the most seats, with both the Centre Party and Res Publica Party winning 28 seats in the Riigikogu. Res Publica was able to gain enough support in negotiations after the elections to form a coalition government.

2003 Estonian parliamentary election

← 1999 2 March 2003 2007 →

101 seats in the Riigikogu
51 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Edgar Savisaar Juhan Parts Siim Kallas
Party Centre Res Publica Reform
Last election 28 seats 18 seats
Seats won 28 28 19
Seat change Steady New Increase1
Popular vote 125,709 121,856 87,551
Percentage 25.40% 24.62% 17.69%
Swing Increase2.00pp New Increase1.79pp

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Villu Reiljan Tunne Kelam Ivari Padar
Party People's Union Pro Patria Union SDE
Last election 7 18 17
Seats won 13 7 6
Seat change Increase6 Decrease11 Decrease11
Popular vote 64,463 36,169 34,837
Percentage 13.03% 7.31% 7.04%
Swing Increase5.82pp Decrease8.79pp Decrease8.11pp

Results by electoral district

Prime Minister before election

Siim Kallas
Reform

Prime Minister after election

Juhan Parts
Res Publica

Background

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Following the 1999 election, a Triple Alliance coalition government was formed by Mart Laar of the Pro Patria Union, including the Reform Party and the Moderates.[1]

By late 2001, scandals related to the privatization of state-owned enterprises had made the government unpopular, and relations between the Pro Patria Union and the Reform Party deteriorated. In December 2001, the Reform Party entered a coalition with the Centre Party in Tallinn, as a result of which Edgar Savisaar became the mayor. This happened after Reform had left the same Triple Alliance governing coalition in Tallinn. Prime Minister Mart Laar decided to resign, as he felt that the national level Triple Alliance government had essentially collapsed[2][3][4]

Following that, a new coalition government was formed between the Reform Party and the Centre Party, with Siim Kallas from the Reform Party of Estonia as Prime Minister.[5]

On 26 November 2002 the President of Estonia, Arnold Rüütel, set 2 March 2003 as the election date.[6] 947 candidates from 11 political parties contested the election as well as 16 independents.[7]

Electoral system

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The 101 members of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia) were elected using a form of proportional representation for a four-year term. The seats were allocated using a modified D'Hondt method. The country is divided into twelve multi-mandate electoral districts. There is a nationwide threshold of 5% for party lists, but if the number of votes cast for a candidate exceeds or equals the simple quota (which shall be obtained by dividing the number of valid votes cast in the electoral district by the number of mandates in the district) the candidate is elected.

District number Electoral District Seats
1 Haabersti, Põhja-Tallinn and Kristiine districts in Tallinn 8
2 Kesklinn, Lasnamäe and Pirita districts in Tallinn 10
3 Mustamäe and Nõmme districts in Tallinn 8
4 Harjumaa (without Tallinn) and Raplamaa counties 12
5 Hiiumaa, Läänemaa and Saaremaa counties 7
6 Lääne-Virumaa county 6
7 Ida-Virumaa county 8
8 Järvamaa and Viljandimaa counties 9
9 Jõgevamaa and Tartumaa counties (without Tartu) 8
10 Tartu city 8
11 Võrumaa, Valgamaa and Põlvamaa counties 9
12 Pärnumaa county 8

Contesting parties

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The Estonian National Electoral Committee announced that 11 political parties and 16 individual candidates registered to take part in the 2003 parliamentary election. Their registration numbers and order were determined by the order of registration.[8][7]

# Name Ideology Political position Leader Total candidates 1999 result
Votes (%) Seats
1
Centre Party Populism Centre-left Edgar Savisaar 125 23.4%
28 / 101
2
Moderate People's Party Social liberalism Centre to centre-left Ivari Padar 125 15.2%
17 / 101
3
People's Union Agrarianism Centre to centre-left Villu Reiljan 125 7.3%
7 / 101
4
Pro Patria Union National conservatism Right-wing Tunne Kelam 125 16.1%
18 / 101
5
Social Democratic Labour Party Democratic socialism Left-wing Tiit Toomsalu 12 2.3%[a]
0 / 101
6
United People's Party Russia's national interests[9][10][11][12] Centre-left Andrei Zarenkov 106 6.1%
6 / 101
7
Reform Party Classical liberalism Centre-right Siim Kallas 125 15.9%
18 / 101
8
Res Publica Party Liberal conservatism Centre-right Juhan Parts 125 did not exist
9
Christian People's Party Christian democracy Centre-right Aldo Vinkel 30 2.4%
0 / 101
10
Independence Party Estonian nationalism Far-right Vello Leito 37 did not participate
11
Russian Party Russian minority interests Syncretic Stanislav Tšerepanov 12 0.2%
0 / 101
Individual candidates 16 did not exist

Campaign

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Opinion polls showed the Centre Party led by the mayor of Tallinn, Edgar Savisaar, with a small lead in the run up to the election.[13] They were expected to gain support from among those who had not benefited from the rapid economic reforms that had taken place over the last decade.[14] However their populism and their lack of a clear policy on whether Estonia should join the European Union meant they were likely to struggle to form a coalition after the election.[14]

The leading critics of the Centre Party were from the new conservative Res Publica Party, which had only been formed in 2002.[5] Res Publica's campaign focused on the need to address crime and corruption[5] and they portrayed themselves as being a change to the older political parties.[14] Res Publica had performed strongly in the 2002 local elections after being formed from the youth wings of some of the other right wing political parties.[14]

A leading issue in the election was the tax system with the Centre Party pledging to scrap the flat tax and change it to a progressive tax system.[15] Both Res Publica and the Reform Party opposed this, with the Reform Party calling for the tax rate to be cut significantly.[15] The personalities of the various party leaders were also a significant part of the campaign, with opponents particularly attacked the Centre Party leader Edgar Savisaar.[15] Savisaar had quit as interior minister in 1995 after being accused of taping rival politicians[5] and during the campaign the media raised questions over the financing of his campaign.[15]

Results

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The results saw the Centre Party win the most votes but they were only 0.8% ahead of the new Res Publica party.[16] As a result, both parties won 28 seats, which was a disappointment for the Centre Party who had expected to win the most seats.[17] Altogether the right of centre parties won 60 seats, compared to only 41 for the left wing, and so were expected to form the next government.[5][18] Voter turnout was higher than expected at 58%.[15] The Russian minority parties lost representation in parliament, with most of such voter switching to Estonian parties of the left (Estonian Centre Party) or some to the non-nationalist right (Reform Party).

 
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Estonian Centre Party[b]125,70925.40280
Res Publica Party121,85624.6228New
Estonian Reform Party87,55117.6919+1
People's Union of Estonia[c]64,46313.0313+6
Pro Patria Union36,1697.317–11
Moderate People's Party34,8377.046–11
Estonian United People's Party11,1132.250–6
Estonian Christian People's Party5,2751.0700
Estonian Independence Party2,7050.550New
Social Democratic Labour Party2,0590.420New
Russian Party in Estonia[d]9900.2000
Independents2,1610.4400
Total494,888100.001010
Valid votes494,88898.84
Invalid/blank votes5,7981.16
Total votes500,686100.00
Registered voters/turnout859,71458.24
Source: Nohlen & Stöver[19]
  1. ^ As part of Estonian United People's Party
  2. ^ The Estonian Centre Party list included members of the Estonian Pensioners' Party.
  3. ^ The People's Union of Estonia list included members of the New Estonia Party.
  4. ^ The Russian Party in Estonia list included members of the Party of Estonian Unity, Russian Baltic Party in Estonia and the Russian Unity Party.

Aftermath

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Both the Centre and Res Publica parties said that they should get the chance to try and form the next government,[20] while ruling out any deal between themselves.[21] President Rüütel had to decide who he should nominate as Prime Minister and therefore be given the first chance at forming a government.[21] On the 2 April he invited the leader of the Res Publica party, Juhan Parts to form a government[22] and after negotiations a coalition government composed of Res Publica, the Reform Party and the People's Union of Estonia was formed on the 10 April.[22] The government has also been referred to as the Harmony coalition.[23][24][25][26]

References

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  1. ^ Estonia: Parliamentary Chamber: Riigikogu: Elections held in 1999 Inter-Parliamentary Union
  2. ^ "Kallas: kolmikliit peab jätkama". Delfi (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  3. ^ Muuli, Kalle (2014). Hainsalu, Esta (ed.). Kodanike riik: reformierakond loomisest kuni tänapäevani. Tallinn: Menu Kirjastus. ISBN 978-9949-549-07-8.
  4. ^ "Kuidas kolmikliit valitsust moodustas". Äripäev (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Deadlock in Estonia election". BBC News Online. 2003-03-03. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  6. ^ "Baltic Report: December 6, 2002". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2002-12-06. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  7. ^ a b "Baltic Report: January 28, 2003". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2003-01-28. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  8. ^ Heinsalu, Alo; Koitmäe, Arne; Mandre, Leino; Pilving, Mihkel; Vinkel, Priit; Eero, Gerli; Eesti Rahvusraamatukogu; Eesti, eds. (2011). Valimised Eestis: statistikat ja selgitusi. Tallinn: Vabariigi Valimiskomisjon.
  9. ^ Eesti Päevaleht 20 June 2008: Kaitsepolitsei aastaraamat: Vene luure tegi mullu Eestis usinalt tööd Archived 2008-06-30 at the Wayback Machine by Kärt Anvelt
  10. ^ "Counterintelligence". Annual Review 2007 (PDF). Tallinn: Estonian Security Police. 2008. p. 8. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-04-15.
  11. ^ KAPO aastaraamat 2007
  12. ^ "Kaitsepolitsei aastaraamat: Vene luure tegi mullu Eestis usinalt tööd". Eesti Päevaleht (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  13. ^ Sullivan, Ruth (2003-02-24). "The". Financial Times. p. 32.
  14. ^ a b c d "Slim win for Estonia's left". CNN. 2003-03-02. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  15. ^ Election leaves hung parliament, The Independent, 2003-03-03, p. 9
  16. ^ Wines, Michael (2003-03-04). "World Briefing Europe: Estonia: Leftists Reeling After Election". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  17. ^ "The World This Week". The Economist. 2003-03-08. p. 8.
  18. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, pp585–588 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  19. ^ "Estonia: Two Parties Want To Form Government After Close Election". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2003-03-03. Archived from the original on 2009-02-17. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  20. ^ a b "Estonia quandary after split vote". BBC News Online. 2003-03-03. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  21. ^ a b "Estonia: parliamentary elections Riigikogu, 2003". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  22. ^ "Koosmeele koalitsioon 2003 | Reformierakond" (in Estonian). 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  23. ^ "Koosmeele koalitsioon". Arvamus (in Estonian). 2003-03-09. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  24. ^ "Res Publica pooldas koosmeele koalitsiooni". www.ohtuleht.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-08-22.
  25. ^ "Res Publica pooldab koosmeele koalitsiooni". Delfi (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-08-22.
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