Estonian parliamentary election, 1999

Estonian parliamentary election, 1999

7 March 1999

101 seats in the Riigikogu 51 seats were needed for a majority   First party Second party   Leader Edgar Savisaar Mart Laar Party Centre Pro Patria Union Last election 16 seats 8 seats Seats won 28 18 Seat change 12 10 Popular vote 113,378 77,917 Percentage 23.4% 16.1%   Third party Fourth party   Leader Siim Kallas Andres Tarand Party Reform Moderates Last election 19 seats 6 seats Seats won 18 17 Seat change 1 11 Popular vote 77,088 73,630 Percentage 15.9% 15.2%

Prime Minister before election Mart Siimann Coalition Party Elected Prime Minister Mart Laar Pro Patria Union

Parliamentary elections were held in Estonia on 7 March 1999.^[1] The elections proved disastrous for the Estonian Coalition Party, which won only seven seats together with two of its smaller allies. The Estonian Country People's Union, which participated the election on its own list, obtained seven seats as well.

The programme of Mart Laar’s government was signed by Pro Patria Union, Reform Party, Moderates and People’s Party. The latter two merged soon after, so Mart Laar’s second government is widely known as Kolmikliit, or Tripartite coalition. Notwithstanding the different political orientation of the ruling parties, the coalition stayed united until Mart Laar resigned in December 2001, after Reform Party had broken up the same coalition in Tallinn municipality, making opposition leader Edgar Savisaar new Mayor of Tallinn. After resignation of Laar, Reform Party and Estonian Centre Party formed a coalition that lasted until next parliamentary election, 2003.

Electoral system

The threshold was 5% of the national vote. Electoral cartels were not allowed any more, but it didn't prevent a party from including members of another party in its list.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Estonian Centre Party	113,378	23.4	28	+12
Pro Patria Union	77,917	16.1	18	+10
Estonian Reform Party	77,088	15.9	18	–1
Moderates ^[a]	73,630	15.2	17	+11
Estonian Coalition Party ^[b]	36,692	7.6	7	–
Estonian Country People's Union	35,204	7.3	7	–
Estonian United People's Party ^[c]	29.682	6.1	6	–
Estonian Christian People's Party	11,745	2.4	0	New
Russian Party in Estonia	9,825	2.0	0	–
Estonian Blue Party	7,745	1.6	0	0
Farmers' Assembly	2,421	0.5	0	–
Progress Party	1,854	0.4	0	New
Independents	7,058	1.5	0	0
Invalid/blank votes	8,117	–	–	–
Total	492,356	100	101	0
Registered voters/turnout	857,270	57.4	–	–
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

^a The Moderates' list included representatives of the Estonian People's Party.

^b The Estonian Coalition Party list included members of the Estonian Country Union and the Party of Estonian Pensioners and Families.

^c The Estonian United People's Party included members of the Estonian Social Democratic Labour Party and the Russian Unity Party.

References

1. Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p574 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7

External links

• Election results on the Estonian Electoral Commission website (in Estonian)