Kaljurand 'the people's choice' for president, poll finds
A popularity poll conducted among 1,200 people living in Estonia found that Marina Kaljurand, the current foreign minister, is the peoples' choice to succeed President Toomas Hendrik Ilves in a year, when his term ends.
The next president will be elected by the Parliament, or if any one candidate fails to gather two thirds of the vote, an electoral college of MPs and local government representatives.
Nevertheless Postimees commissioned a TNS Emor study to find out who a popular vote would like to see as the next president.
Kaljurand (non party-affiliated) was the most popular name with 14.3 percent, followed by Edgar Savisaar (Center Party) with 13.2 percent, Siim Kallas (Reform Party) with 11.2 percent and Indrek Tarand (independent) with 10.1 percent.
Other names mentioned were Ene Ergma (IRL, 5.4 percent), Urmas Paet (Reform Party, 4.8 percent), Arnold Rüütel (EKRE, 3.4 percent), Andres Tarand (Social Democrats, 2.8 percent), Indrek Neivelt (non party affiliated, 2.4 percent), Eiki Nestor (Social Democrats, 2.3 percent), Jüri Luik (IRL, 2.1 percent), Tunne Kelam (IRL, 2 percent) and Siiri Oviir (independent, 2 percent).
According to a similar poll in March, Kaljurand has leapfrogged Savisaar and Kallas, who were both then on 13 percent.
Editor: J.M. Laats