Ülle Madise enters Estonia’s presidential race

Estonia’s Chancellor of Justice, Ülle Madise, has formally announced her candidacy for president. Madise seeks to succeed Alar Karis, who has indicated he will not seek a second term.

Madise has already secured the support of 62 members of the 101-seat Riigikogu (Estonian parliament). While this is sufficient to nominate her, she requires at least 68 votes to be elected. In her announcement, Madise emphasized her role as a guardian of Estonia’s independence, democratic values, language, and culture.

Following her declaration, Madise has begun meeting with various parliamentary factions, including representatives from the Centre Party and Isamaa, to discuss her candidacy. The formal nomination process in the Riigikogu is scheduled to take place between August 21 and August 24.