Still no consensus among MPs on 'gray passport' holders' voting rights in Estonia

Debate continues over two proposed amendments to Estonia's Constitution focusing on voting rights for "gray passport" holders, with politicians somewhat playing hot potato on the issue as the second reading approaches next month, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.
"Gray passport" holders are persons of indeterminate citizenship who are ordinarily resident in Estonia, but not citizens of Estonia or any other state. In practice, they are overwhelmingly Russian speakers; the term comes from the color of the travel document issued to them for international travel.
The Reform-SDE-Eesti 200 coalition has agreed that Russian and Belarusian citizens resident in Estonia will not be able to vote, but gray passport holders will retain the right to vote, the latter move a compromise towards the Social Democrats (SDE).
The local elections, at which citizens of third countries resident in Estonia can vote, take place in October, meaning the bill making the voting rights changes is being processed ahead of this.
Since this would involve amending the Constitution, it would also require 80 percent voting in favor at the 101-seat Riigikogu, rather than a simple majority, meaning the coalition with 65 seats will need at least 15 opposition MPs to vote on their side.

On the other hand, a second amendment, submitted by Isamaa and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), would restrict local elections to Estonian citizens only, i.e., gray passport holders would not be able to vote come October.
The government's bill's second reading is scheduled for February, ahead of which substantive amendments can be made; between the second and third (and final) reading, only cosmetic changes can be made.
The Riigikogu's Constitutional Affairs Committee is set to discuss amending the Constitution next week, and Priit Lomp, the SDE chief whip, said Isamaa, which might also support the coalition's stance, holds the key.

Isamaa MP Helir-Valdor Seeder in response passed things on to the coalition Reform Party, saying: "The solution depends just as much, if not more, on the Reform Party, which allows itself to be held hostage."
"The voting rights of EU citizens stem from the Lisbon Treaty and EU law, and the constitutional amendment in Estonia should be limited to this," Seeder added, with reference to who should be able to vote in Estonia.
Eesti 200 MP Hendrik Johannes Terras said he still believes a compromise is viable.
"It is important to continue trying to find points acceptable to four-fifths of the MPs. We will review the amendments in the committee and discuss them," Terras noted.
Discussions on the removal of voting rights from Russian citizens resident in Estonia took on a new significance with Russia's invasion of Ukraine – the last local elections took place in October 2021, a few months before the invasion began.
The demographic along with gray passport holders makes up a significant voting bloc in Estonia, with the underlying assumption being votes might be cast for candidates hostile to Estonia's sovereignty – as had happened even at the 2023 Riigikogu election.
EU citizens resident in Estonia can vote in European Parliament elections, while Riigikogu elections have the narrowest franchise, being restricted to Estonian citizens only.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte,Merili Nael
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera,' reporter Anne Raiste.