Council of Elders: Shortlist exists, includes Luik and Kaljulaid
The Riigikogu’s Council of Elders met on Tuesday to discuss potential presidential candidates for the upcoming third attempt to elect a head of state set for Monday, Oct 3. Two names that passed around on Tuesday afternoon were that of former ambassador and minister Jüri Luik, and Kersti Kaljulaid, a member of the European Court of Auditors.
Member of the Riigikogu Siim Kiisler (IRL) told ERR’s online news portal on Tuesday afternoon that Kaljulaid and Luik were part of the list of names the council was discussing.
His own parliamentary group had already met twice to discuss the issue, Kiisler said, and these were names that they could support. Both Kaljulaid and Luik are past members of Isamaaliit, one of the predecessors of the current Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (IRL).
Member of the Center Party’s parliamentary group Peeter Ernits commented that their group didn’t agree in the matter. “And not just our group, but also the group of the Reform Party,” Ernits said.
According to Ernits, what would need to be done is to find a candidate outside the current political sphere, but apparently that was not what had been going on. Ernits said that there was no reason to believe that promises made now would necessarily have to hold true on Monday. He called the currently ongoing fast-tracked presidential selection a “farce”.
President of the Riigikogu Eiki Nestor (SDE) announced that there would be important news still on Tuesday, while the chairman of his own party, Jevgeni Ossinovski, declined to comment until such time that a common candidate was found.
Kersti Kaljulaid arrived to participate in the meetings late on Tuesday afternoon.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn