Kaljurand: Make Kallas the party’s candidate in the Riigikogu
Kaljurand wrote in a letter to the Reform Party’s leadership on Wednesday that former EU commissioner Siim Kallas should be their candidate in the presidential election in the Riigikogu. If the electoral college should be convened, she would then enter the race later.
In an interview with ETV’s “Aktuaalne Kaamera” on Wednesday Kaljurand said that Kallas and his campaign team were convinced that support for him in the Riigikogu was greater, while she would stand a better chance to be elected in the electoral college in case the Riigikogu ballot rounds didn’t produce a result.
The Estonian parliament has three ballot rounds to elect the next head of state. If they don’t lead to a result, an electoral college is then convened, which in addition to the MPs consists of representatives of the country’s parishes.
A candidate’s popularity with the general public is more important there, as the circle of electors widens. In her letter, Kaljurand expressed the wish that the parties should try and cooperate to elect the next president in the Riigikogu.
“I’ve suggested to the Reform Party’s leadership today to first give Siim Kallas the opportunity to be a candidate in the Riigikogu. After this, if the election of the president shouldn’t succeed in the Riigikogu, then I’d ask the Reform Party, other parties, and independent members of the electoral college to support me there,” Kaljurand said.
She added that if the parties in parliament managed to work together, and if politicians showed the will to elect the best president for the country, then this should happen in the Riigikogu.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn