Chamber:
	Riigikogu
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	5 March 1995
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament in accordance with constitutional provisions shortening the term of the Parliament chosen in 1992 to 3 years.
Background and outcome of elections:
	The 1995 general elections were the second since independence was re-established in August 1991. Of the 30 registered parties, nine submitted their own lists, the others being grouped in seven coalitions. Altogether 1256 candidates (including 12 independents) were in contention for the 1001 parliamentary seats. The main campaign issue related to the country’s economy, although the personalities of the leading candidates also proved influential. Debate on economic reform chiefly concerned the desired pace of the changes and privatisation of state enterprises. Despite differences on these subjects, there was wide agreement among the major parties that reforms should continue; views varied on how the State should take into account their negative side-effects. Other important issues discussed bore on agrarian policy, citizenship, the powers of the President and on some aspects of foreign policy. On polling day, seven parties or coalitions achieved representation in the Riigikogu. Topping these was the centre-left Coalition Party-Rural Union alliance, the former main opposition which captured 41 seats and was supported mainly by the rural electorate; it had called for a “social market economy” and favoured European integration. The Reform Party – a liberal group formerly known as the Liberal Democratic Party and led by the President of the Estonian Bank Siim Kallas – won over voters in urban areas to come in second, ahead of the agrarian Centre Party and the outgoing centre-right Pro Patria (Fatherland) / Estonian Independence Party alliance which had been in power under Prime Minister Mart Laar. As opposed to its lack of success in the previous (1992) elections, the “Our Home is Estonia” group – a union comprising above all Russian-speaking Estonian citizens – gained representation with six seats. Based on these results, the leader of the Coalition Party, Mr. Tiit Vähi, became Prime Minister (the post he had already held for nine months in 1992) and formed the new Government, together with its partner and the Centre party on 12 April; this was in turn approved by President of the Republic Lenmart Meri.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (5 March 1995): Elections results
Number of registered electors	791,957
Voters	550,841 (69.55%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	5,071
Valid votes	545,770

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Candidates	Votes	%
Coalition Party/Rural Union*	161	174,248	32.2
Reform Party	103	87,531	16.2
Centre Party	114	76,634	14.2
Pro Patria (Fatherland) / National Independence Party	109	42,493	7.9
Moderates	101	32,381	6.0
“Our Home is Estonia”	73	31,763	5.9
Republicans and Conservatives	101	27,053	5.1

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total	Gain/Loss
Coalition Party/Rural Union*	41	+24
Reform Party	19	+19
Centre Party	16	+1
Pro Patria (Fatherland) / National Independence Party	8	-31
Moderates	6	-6
“Our Home is Estonia”	6	+6
Republicans and Conservatives	5	+5

Comments:
	* Known as the “Safe Home” alliance in 1992.

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	88
Women:	13

Distribution of seats according to age:
21-30 years	3.0%
31-40 years	15.8%
41-50 years	45.5%
51-60 years	21.8%
61-70 years	13.9%
Distribution of seats according to profession:
Civil servants (higher)	63%
Salaried clerks	12%
Private enterprise sector	10%
Education and research	8%
Retirees	3%
Students	1%
Others	3%