Estonian parliamentary election, 1999

Estonian parliamentary election, 1999
Estonia
7 March 1999

101 seats in the Riigikogu
51 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Edgar Savisaar Mart Laar
Party Centre Pro Patria Union
Last election 16 seats 8 seats
Seats won 28 18
Seat change Increase12 Increase10
Popular vote 113,378 77,917
Percentage 23.4% 16.1%

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Siim Kallas Andres Tarand
Party Reform Moderates
Last election 19 seats 6 seats
Seats won 18 17
Seat change Decrease1 Increase11
Popular vote 77,088 73,630
Percentage 15.9% 15.2%

Prime Minister before election

Mart Siimann
Coalition Party

Elected Prime Minister

Mart Laar
Pro Patria Union

Parliamentary elections were held in Estonia on 7 March 1999.[1] The elections proved disastrous for the Estonian Coalition Party, which won only seven seats together with two of its smaller allies. The Estonian Country People's Union, which participated the election on its own list, obtained seven seats as well.

The programme of Mart Laar’s government was signed by Pro Patria Union, Reform Party, Moderates and People’s Party. The latter two merged soon after, so Mart Laar’s second government is widely known as Kolmikliit, or Tripartite coalition. Notwithstanding the different political orientation of the ruling parties, the coalition stayed united until Mart Laar resigned in December 2001, after Reform Party had broken up the same coalition in Tallinn municipality, making opposition leader Edgar Savisaar new Mayor of Tallinn. After resignation of Laar, Reform Party and Estonian Centre Party formed a coalition that lasted until next parliamentary election, 2003.

Electoral system

The threshold was 5% of the national vote. Electoral cartels were not allowed any more, but it didn't prevent a party from including members of another party in its list.

Results

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Estonian Centre Party113,37823.428+12
Pro Patria Union77,91716.118+10
Estonian Reform Party77,08815.918–1
Moderates [a]73,63015.217+11
Estonian Coalition Party [b]36,6927.67
Estonian Country People's Union35,2047.37
Estonian United People's Party [c]29.6826.16
Estonian Christian People's Party11,7452.40New
Russian Party in Estonia9,8252.00
Estonian Blue Party7,7451.600
Farmers' Assembly2,4210.50
Progress Party1,8540.40New
Independents7,0581.500
Invalid/blank votes8,117
Total492,3561001010
Registered voters/turnout857,27057.4
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

a The Moderates' list included representatives of the Estonian People's Party.

b The Estonian Coalition Party list included members of the Estonian Country Union and the Party of Estonian Pensioners and Families.

c The Estonian United People's Party included members of the Estonian Social Democratic Labour Party and the Russian Unity Party.

References

  1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p574 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7

External links


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