Riigikogu


The Riigikogu is the unicameral parliament of Estonia. All important state-related questions pass through the Riigikogu. In addition to approving legislation, the Riigikogu appoints high officials, including the Prime Minister and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and elects the President. The Riigikogu also ratifies significant foreign treaties that impose military and proprietary obligations, bring about changes in law, etc.; approves the budget presented by the government as law and monitors the executive power.

History

Early elections

April 23, 1919, the opening session of the Estonian Constituent Assembly is the birthday of the Estonian Parliament. The first elections to the Riigikogu took place in 1920. From 1920 to 1938, there were five more elections to the Riigikogu, but several were on the basis of different constitutions.
In 1920–1923 there was a closed list, while from 1926 to 1934 there was an optional open list choice. The basis of election was until 1932 proportional representation. The elections were on a regional basis, without any threshold in the first two elections, but from 1926 a moderate threshold was used.

Division

From 1938–1940 the National Assembly was divided into two chambers: The Chamber of Deputies and the National Council.
It was replaced by the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic and the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia.

Toompea castle

Since 1922, the sessions of the Riigikogu have taken place in the Toompea castle, where a new building in an unusual Expressionist style was erected in the former courtyard of the medieval castle in 1920–1922. During the subsequent periods of Soviet occupation, German occupation and the second Soviet occupation the Riigikogu was disbanded. The castle and the building of the Riigikogu were used by the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR during the second Soviet occupation.

Independence from the Soviet Union

In September 1992, a year after Estonia had regained its independence from the Soviet Union, elections to the Riigikogu took place according to the Constitution of Estonia adopted in the summer of the same year. According to the 1992 constitution, the Riigikogu has 101 members. The present Riigikogu was elected on March 3, 2019. The main differences between this system and a pure political representation, or proportional representation, system are the established 5% national threshold, and the use of a modified D'Hondt formula. This modification makes for more disproportionality than does the usual form of the formula.

Latest election

Current seat allocation

Estonian Parliament 1992–1995">1992 Estonian parliamentary election">Estonian Parliament 1992–1995

Estonian Parliament 1995–1999">1995 Estonian parliamentary election">Estonian Parliament 1995–1999

Estonian Parliament 1999–2003">1999 Estonian parliamentary election">Estonian Parliament 1999–2003

Estonian Parliament 2003–2007">2003 Estonian parliamentary election">Estonian Parliament 2003–2007

Estonian Parliament 2007–2011">2007 Estonian parliamentary election">Estonian Parliament 2007–2011

Estonian Parliament 2011–2015">2011 Estonian parliamentary election">Estonian Parliament 2011–2015

Estonian Parliament 2015–2019">2015 Estonian parliamentary election">Estonian Parliament 2015–2019

Estonian Parliament 2019–present">2019 Estonian parliamentary election">Estonian Parliament 2019–present

Speakers of the Riigikogu

The salary of the speaker is €5,288 per month.

1921-1937

Speakers of the Riigivolikogu (lower chamber)

Speaker of the Riiginõukogu (upper chamber)

Chairman of the Supreme Council (1990–1992)

Speaker of the Supreme Council (1990–1992)

Since 1992

Structure of Riigikogu

At Riigikogu there is working Chancellery of the Riigikogu. The most important task for Chancellery of the Riigikogu is to provide the conditions which are necessary for the Riigikogu to perform its constitutional functions.