On Wednesday, the Riigikogu will hold one of the most significant votes since Estonia regained independence: the parliament will decide who retains the right to vote in local elections. While the majority of Riigikogu members have made up their minds, there are still some who are undecided. It is their votes that will determine whether citizens of aggressor states retain their voting rights or not.

Given the current security situation, it is unthinkable for Estonia to allow citizens of Russia and Belarus to participate in any democratic elections in our country. With the exception of a handful of Riigikogu members, there is broad support for revoking the voting rights of aggressor state citizens. However, as the saying goes, the devil is in the details.

The main disagreement lies in the issue of [stateless persons or] so-called gray passport holders. Some MPs believe voting rights should be reserved solely for Estonian citizens. They are unwilling to amend the Constitution at all if stateless individuals are allowed to retain their voting rights — even if it means maintaining voting rights for citizens of aggressor states. Their argument is that removing voting rights from only some non-citizens would be an incomplete solution.

I understand their reasoning. It is no secret that I, along with the entire Reform Party parliamentary group, also believe that only Estonian citizens should have the right to participate in and influence decisions regarding local issues in Estonia.

For those who may not remember: in the early 1990s, following Estonia's restoration of independence, all permanent residents were granted voting rights in local elections, regardless of their citizenship. This was a compromise intended to integrate roughly 500,000 residents of Estonia who did not hold the citizenship of any other country. More than three decades later, as of last November, that number has decreased to about 60,000. Some might argue that time will naturally resolve the issue, so why bother changing the voting rights of gray passport holders?

There are several reasons. First, the Estonian people's sense of justice. Reserving voting rights exclusively for Estonian citizens is a necessary step to maintain legal harmony and trust in Estonia's electoral system and representative bodies.

It is only logical that individuals who wish to participate in important decisions concerning our country should make an effort to obtain the right to do so. Acquiring Estonian citizenship demonstrates a desire to be a part of our society and respect for our country and its fundamental principles.

Unlike Russian citizens who seek to change their nationality, gray passport holders face no obstacles to obtaining Estonian citizenship. A recent study conducted by the Baltic Research Institute, "Stateless Residents in Estonia: Attitudes, Identity and Barriers to Citizenship Acquisition," found that 79 percent of respondents would immediately accept Estonian citizenship if they could freely choose it and 65 percent plan to apply for Estonian citizenship.

Second, does maintaining the voting rights of gray passport holders truly outweigh the need to strip voting rights from citizens of an aggressor state? Voters should put this question to the MPs who are attempting to block any constitutional amendments. The authoritarian regimes of Russia and Belarus are not friendly toward Estonia. We can see the brutality of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.

The aggressor uses any means necessary to achieve its goals. Its ultimate objective is clear: to restore its empire. This poses a direct threat to Estonia's independence. It is our duty to do everything necessary to protect our country. Ensuring that only Estonian citizens make decisions that shape our society is one of those necessary steps.

Politics is the art of compromise, and as such, 55 Riigikogu members have proposed an amendment to the constitutional draft, often referred to as the "sunset clause." This provision would allow stateless individuals to vote in this fall's local government elections — but not beyond that. If they wish to have a say in decisions affecting Estonia in the future, they will need to become Estonian citizens. This is a reasonable offer for gray passport holders, respecting the principle of legal certainty by providing them with a fair timeframe to make their choice.

Some hesitant Riigikogu members have suggested that voting rights should first be revoked from aggressor state citizens and that the issue of stateless individuals' voting rights should be addressed before the next local elections. But, my friends, that is precisely what the sunset clause accomplishes. There is no need for a two-step process — we can implement your proposal in one go. The decision is just a week away.

I know that some Riigikogu members would support amending the Constitution along with the sunset clause, but their parliamentary group has currently decided against it.

I hope that the vote on amending the Constitution, along with the urgent amendment decision, will be left open in party factions so that every MP can vote according to their conscience. Indeed, every single vote will determine the success of this historic decision.

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