EKRE wants to reduce election deposit for candidates
EKRE's parliamentary group wants to reduce the deposit political parties pay to participate in elections from €946 to €220 per candidate and from €118,250 to €27,500 for a full candidate list.
EKRE believes the current amount is too high and has put forward a proposal to change the law.
"Under the current rules, the deposit per candidate is equal to the monthly minimum wage in the year the elections are announced, which as of October 2026 is €946. Since a party may field up to 125 candidates, submitting a full candidate list requires a payment of €118,250. Such an amount is an excessive obstacle for new and small political forces that lack state funding and accumulated financial reserves. This effectively restricts opportunities to participate in elections and reduces political competition," the proposal states.
The bill submitted by EKRE seeks to decouple the deposit from the monthly minimum wage and links it to the subsistence threshold for a person living alone or the first member of a family, as agreed in the State Budget Act under the Social Welfare Act.
"The monthly minimum wage is determined by labor market and wage policy considerations, and its increase is not linked to the conditions for participating in elections, meaning that the deposit also increases without a deliberate decision by the legislator," the party believes.
"The subsistence threshold is significantly lower and more stable: since January 1, 2026, it has been €220 per month. As a result of the amendment, the deposit would decrease from €946 to €220 per candidate and from €118,250 to €27,500 for a full candidate list, or by approximately 77 percent. This would preserve the deposit's deterrent effect against clearly unjustified candidate lists while ensuring that new political forces are not placed at a disadvantage."
However, while still in office as Chancellor of Justice, Ülle Madise said there was no reason to consider the election deposit disproportionate.
She explained that the fee's main purpose is to avoid a situation where too many voters are left without representation because they voted for a list or candidate who does not pass the election threshold and cannot enter the Riigikogu.
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Editor: Helen Wright, Urmet Kook
