| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Riigikogu / The Estonian Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
1 March 2015 |
| Purpose of elections |
Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas' Reform Party remained the largest force with 30 seats in the 101-member parliament. It won three more seats than Centre Party, which draws support from Russian-speaking Estonians. On 9 April, the Reform Party formed a coalition government with the Estonian Social Democratic Party (SDE, a partner in the previous coalition) and the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL, a new partner), thereby controlling 59 seats. 35-year old Rõivas, who succeeded Mr. Andrus Ansip as Prime Minister in March 2014, is the youngest head of government in the European Union.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine placed national security at the centre of the election campaign, with some parties advocating for the country's membership of NATO. Other electoral issues included the minimum wage, child benefits and tax reform. At the opening of the new Parliament, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves underscored the need for a "national defence system built on solidarity and encompassing all of society". |
Date of previous elections: 6 March 2011
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: 24 March 2015
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: 3 March 2019
Number of seats at stake: 101 (full renewal)
Number of candidates: 872 (636 men, 236 women)
Percentage of women candidates: 27.1%
Number of parties contesting the election: 10
Number of parties winning seats: 6
Alternation of power: N/A*
*The composition of the government changed before the 2015 elections.
Number of parties in government: 3
Names of parties in government: Reform Party, Estonian Social Democratic Party (SDE) and Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL)
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 30 March 2015
Name of the new Speaker: Mr. Eiki Nestor (Estonian Social Democratic Party, SDE)
|
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 1 March 2015 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
899'793
577'910 (64.23%)
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of votes |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Candidates |
Votes |
|
|
% |
|
|
| Reform Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Centre Party |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Estonian Social Democratic Party (SDE) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Free Party (EV) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Conservative People's Party (EKRE) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
|
|
|
|
| Reform Party |
30
|
|
|
|
|
| Centre Party |
27
|
|
|
|
|
| Estonian Social Democratic Party (SDE) |
15
|
|
|
|
|
| Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL) |
14
|
|
|
|
|
| Free Party (EV) |
8
|
|
|
|
|
| Conservative People's Party (EKRE) |
7
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
77
24
23.76%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
Parliament (13.04.2015, 01.01.2017)
http://rk2015.vvk.ee |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
