Suffrage
Session: Fifteenth Riigikogu, Fourth session, press briefing.
Date: 2024-12-11 14:19
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 10
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 12m
AI Summaries: 10/10 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu’s second question was addressed to the Minister of Justice and Digital Transformation, Liisa-Ly Pakosta, and concerned the restriction of voting rights for citizens of aggressor states in local government (KOV) elections. Riigikogu member Riina Solman (Isamaa) initiated the discussion, emphasizing security considerations and Isamaa’s proposal to enshrine the right to vote in the constitution solely for Estonian citizens (in addition to EU citizens, whose right derives from international law). Minister Pakosta confirmed that amending the constitution based on the security situation is a relevant political decision, but stressed the need to achieve consensus between political parties and ensure legal clarity.
More detailed attention was focused on the wording of bill 536. Solman highlighted the minister’s earlier criticism regarding the explanatory note, which would allow a lower-level law to establish conditions for inclusion in foreign voter lists, which, in Pakosta’s view, would give politicians the opportunity to restrict or deny voting rights immediately before elections. The minister emphasized that the purpose of the constitution is to prevent such a situation, and recommended removing the provision from the bill that would allow a lower-level law to set additional restrictions that could lead to the loss of voting rights for certain groups. In addition, Tõnis Lukas (Isamaa) addressed the issue of the election process, particularly ensuring the security of e-elections in the context of Russian hybrid and digital attacks. The minister confirmed that cybersecurity is a priority in the country, receiving additional funding, and that e-elections are highly secured. She also stressed the need to raise public awareness against deepfakes and manipulation.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made.
Most Active Speaker
Member of the Riigikogu Riina Solman was the most active questioner, submitting both the original question and a detailed clarifying question regarding the legal risks of the wording and explanatory memorandum of the draft constitutional amendment. Her political position is center-right (Isamaa).
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Riina Solman, as a member of the Riigikogu, asks the Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa-Ly Pakosta about the topic of voting rights.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman said that Isamaa wants to add a provision to the constitution whereby the right to vote in local elections and also in the presidential election would be limited to Estonian citizens, asking for the ministers' support and emphasizing that European Union citizens are already eligible to participate under the current constitution, and that this could stay that way.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta said that, due to a security crisis, a solution must be found to the issue of local government voting rights, emphasizing that this is a political decision and the nuances will be explained in cooperation with the parties, EU citizens have voting rights under the treaty, and it should be clarified who else would have the right to vote, in order to avoid a situation where the text of the constitution would significantly restrict anyone's rights before the elections.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar thanked and asked Riina Solman to present a clarifying question.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticized the sentence in the explanatory memorandum that adds a condition to create separate voter lists for foreigners or citizens of third countries for subordinate legislation, noting that it is not constitutional, asking who and why this is still being pushed and whether it will stay in, and emphasizing that she supported amending the Constitution only as necessary and wanted to put it into a separate protocol.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Justice and Digital Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta said that removing the second paragraph of Draft Bill 536 is necessary to prevent the expansion of restrictions added by lower-level laws to the voting rights of foreigners and stateless persons, because the right to vote is a constitutionally very important political right.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar thanked and asked Tõnis Lukas to pose an additional question.
Tõnis Lukas
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
They stressed the necessity of depriving Russian and Belarusian citizens of their right to vote, and asked whether the Riigikogu can agree on this, and whether Estonia is ready for a counterstrike and for preparations to defend elections against a digital and hybrid attack.
Justiits- ja digiminister Liisa-Ly Pakosta
AI Summary
Justice and Digital Minister Liisa-Ly Pakosta said that voter lists are prepared automatically based on the population register, and in the name of the digital state it is not reasonable to return to grid-like folders, while emphasizing the security of elections and that e-elections have been very secure, although 99.99% guarantees are never 100%, and she stressed the need to increase people’s awareness of deepfakes and manipulations, because the legislative regulation is complex and people must retain independent decision-making freedom and critical thinking.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
They thank and wrap up today's handling of the second question.