Seeder to release Riigikogu deputy speaker post for Martin Helme in March
On Monday, the Riigikogu will conduct extraordinary elections to choose the new president and vice-presidents of the Riigikogu. Isamaa chairman Helir-Valdor Seeder will remain as First Vice-President for the time, but EKRE chairman Martin Helme will take over for him in a month and a half's time.
In late-January, Second Vice-President of the Riigikogu Siim Kallas (Reform) announced he would step down from his position, bringing along an extraordinary election of new Riigikogu speakers.
The parliament chooses a new board once a year, in March. Current President of the Riigikogu Henn Põlluaas (EKRE) will also lose his post, likely to be taken over by previous prime minister and Center Party head Jüri Ratas, as was agreed to during the discussions to create a new coalition between Reform and Center.
The two government parties also agreed that the first deputy speaker will be from Reform, who will present MP and former party chairman Hanno Pevkur. The post of second deputy speaker will be filled by the opposition, with Helir-Valdor Seeder to continue as Second Vice-President of the Riigikogu.
That is until the regular elections in mid-March, when Seeder will give up his deputy speaker role, cabinet and car to EKRE chairman Martin Helme, an agreement between opposition parties EKRE, Isamaa and the Social Democratic Party (SDE).
EKRE is the largest parliamentary opposition party with 19 MPs, meaning that even if SDE does not support Helme as deputy speaker, EKRE's and Isamaa's votes are enough. The Reform-Center coalition has not indicated so far that they would interfere with process.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste