President Alar Karis is to formally call the election next week.

For the State Electoral Office (RVT) preparations were already under way late last year.

Head of the RVT Arne Koitmäe told AK: "As of now we can say that we are on course with everything. IT systems development is going according to plan. We are also due to order the ballot sheets soon. Our hope is that all will be ready soon."

A total of 912,000 voters are registered in Estonia for this year's European election. Not only Estonian citizens, but all citizens of all the 26 other EU member states who are resident in Estonia can vote, though the registered figure for this group is surprisingly small at 1,308. This year's European election is also the first following the "Brexit" plebiscite of 2016. This worked to Estonia's benefit inasmuch as the country gained one MEP mandate, taking the total to seven.

Unlike with last year's Riigikogu election, where electoral districts totaled 11, Estonia is treated as one single constituency at European elections.

The European Parliament elections must run between Thursday, June 6 and Sunday, June 9 this year; Estonia's polling day is the last of these, ie. the Sunday, though advance voting, including e-voting, is open from Monday, June 3.

The same d'Hondt system of proportional representation as used in Riigikogu and municipal elections applies at the European elections, meaning candidates run ordered lists, with perceived "vote magnet" candidates higher up the list. Lists are capped at nine candidates.

As always, running for office costs money; the deposit for one candidate comes to €4,100, so for parties running a full list of nine, the cost comes to €36,900.

Nominations officially begin April 10, so the parties have already started their process of picking candidates.

One party, the Social Democrats (SDE), already finished that process on Friday. While the list is currently confidential, party Secretary General Reili Rand says she supports the reelection of SDE's current sitting MEPs, namely Marina Kaljurand and Sven Mikser.

MP and former health minister Jevgeni Ossinovski, and former MEP Ivari Padar, are both also running for SDE, Rand told AK.

SDE formally unveils its list on March 16, while the Reform Party is to wait until next month to do so. Reform members submit their own candidacies, which are voted on internally.

Party Secretary General Timo Suslov referenced Hannah Lahe as one potential candidate, in the context of the large number of women politicians he said are in the hunt; sitting MEP Andrus Ansip has not yet submitted his candidacy, Suslov said.

The Center Party too will announced its final list in April. Its current MEP, Jana (formerly Yana) Toom has said she will apply to run.

Party Secretary General Anneli Ott confirmed this, adding that party leader Mihhail Kõlvart has also said he will "come to the party's assistance," if needed.

The current seven MEPs representing Estonia are: Andrus Ansip (Reform), Marina Kaljurand (SDE), Jaak Madison (EKRE), Sven Mikser (SDE), Urmas Paet (Reform), Riho Terras (Isamaa) and Jana Toom (Center). None have declared that they would not be seeking re-election at the time of writing.

Eesti 200, contesting its second ever European elections and looking for its first ever mandate, Parempoolsed, founded in 2022, and the Estonian Greens are the other main parties running, while independent candidates will also register.

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