Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu "Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic to Urgently Develop the Suspension of E-voting" (679 OE), First Reading
Session: XV Riigikogu, VI Session, Plenary Sitting
Date: 2025-11-06 14:56
Total Speeches: 54
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 3m
AI Summaries: 54/54 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated Draft Riigikogu Resolution 679, "Proposal to the Government of the Republic to urgently develop the suspension of e-voting," submitted by the Estonian Centre Party faction. The draft resolution was introduced by Vadim Belobrovtsev, who emphasized that e-voting should be suspended until deficiencies in the control systems are rectified. As the primary motivation, he cited the recent OSCE/ODIHR report, which pointed to serious shortcomings in the system's reliability, transparency, and the assurance of voter confidence, particularly concerning the secrecy of the vote and the prevention of undue influence (e.g., in nursing homes). Belobrovtsev noted that confidence in e-elections in Estonia has dropped significantly (42% do not trust them) and that Estonia belongs to the group of countries regularly using e-voting, alongside Russia and Venezuela.
Ando Kiviberg, Chairman of the Constitutional Committee, provided an overview of the committee's discussion. He confirmed that the Electoral Service found no anomalies during the recount of local government elections and that the ODIHR report was a legal, not a technical, assessment. The committee has approached the Ministry of Justice to ensure the recommendations are addressed. During the debate, opposition politicians (the Centre Party and EKRE) emphasized the complexity of challenging e-election results and the system's lack of transparency. The adoption of the draft resolution requires a majority vote of the Riigikogu membership (51 votes). The debate was concluded before the final vote and will resume on Monday.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made
Most Active Speaker
Vadim Belobrovtsev served as the rapporteur for the draft bill and answered 14 questions, thoroughly explaining the Center Party's stance regarding the suspension of e-voting. His position is listed as other/Center Party.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar opened the second item on the agenda. This was Draft Resolution 679 of the Riigikogu, submitted by the Centre Party faction, which calls upon the Government of the Republic to urgently develop measures for suspending e-voting. He then invited Riigikogu member Vadim Belobrovtsev to present the draft.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev is submitting a draft resolution to the Riigikogu proposing that the Government of the Republic immediately suspend e-voting in the Republic of Estonia until deficiencies in the control systems have been eliminated. The proposal is based on ODIHR’s recent critical legal assessment, which points to serious deficiencies concerning the reliability, transparency, guarantees of voting secrecy (especially in the context of group voting), and cybersecurity of e-voting, emphasizing that the constitutional principles of elections are not sufficiently precisely guaranteed in the digital environment.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the esteemed presenter, noted that he had questions, and then gave the floor to Vladimir Arhipov.
Vladimir Arhipov
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Vladimir Arkhipov questions the secrecy of e-voting, referencing the fact that voting can occur anywhere and that the voter might be influenced by nearby relatives or acquaintances. He then asks the presenter directly if this is, in fact, the main argument for discontinuing e-voting.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev contrasts traditional voting—where personal presence guarantees secrecy and freedom from coercion—with e-voting, noting that the latter lacks certainty regarding the voter's true identity and independence from influence. Therefore, he is demanding that the e-voting process be suspended in order to find answers to the questions that have been raised.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar invited Anti Poolamets to step up to the podium and take the floor.
Anti Poolamets
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Anti Poolamets criticizes the lack of oversight regarding e-voting at the level of the average citizen, arguing that this grants excessive power to experts. He specifically highlights the concern that e-votes are destroyed too quickly (within one month after election complaints are resolved), which hinders subsequent auditing and the discovery of security vulnerabilities.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev believes that the rapid destruction of electronic ballots increases public suspicion. He emphasizes that dozens of questions regarding the security and transparency of the process have arisen, even among the experts who compiled the relevant report, which indicates that something is seriously wrong and is a cause for great concern.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Mart Helme.
Mart Helme
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Mart Helme thanks the speaker for seeking clarity on the topic of e-elections, whether it is a fraud or a success story, but emphasizes that the current legal situation is absurd. He stresses that due to the circular logic of deadlines, it is essentially impossible to challenge e-elections, which is why the Supreme Court has already refused to take the challenge into proceedings over 30 times, including EKRE’s most recent attempt.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev notes that despite EKRE and the Centre Party having long driven this issue, and despite the Supreme Court's recent cosmetic ruling, the e-voting system remains too complicated and opaque for ordinary people and even experts. Consequently, trust in e-voting in Estonia has sharply declined, reaching a situation where nearly half of all voters no longer have confidence in the system.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, calling her to the rostrum.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
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Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart is criticizing the legislative loophole surrounding the organization of e-elections, citing as an example the confusion that occurred before the local elections. Political parties were initially given a short deadline to submit their independent auditors to verify the e-voting process, but this proposal was quickly retracted because the current legislation actually prohibits parties from involving auditors—a fact that is astonishing given how long the e-voting system has been in place.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev criticizes the lack of transparency in the e-voting process, noting that factions were initially given the opportunity to appoint their own auditor, only for that chance to be unexpectedly withdrawn. This raises serious questions about reliability and contradicts the fundamental principle that digital voting must be subject to the same open rules as traditional paper voting, where observer involvement is a matter of course.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Peeter Ernits.
Peeter Ernits
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Peeter Ernits describes a meeting with members of the German Bundestag's Digital Committee, who categorically rejected the idea of e-elections, calling it a risky venture and recommending that Estonia reconsider its own system. Following this, the speaker poses the question of whether the German colleagues' doubts about digital elections are due to their own lack of development or if they have justified concerns regarding the system's reliability, referencing Estonia, Russia, and Venezuela as implementers of e-voting.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev sharply criticizes the security of e-elections, calling ridiculous the assertion that other countries are underdeveloped simply because they rejected e-voting due to the impossibility of guaranteeing 100% security. He notes that Estonia, as a regular user of e-voting, has fallen into dubious company with Russia and Venezuela, having implemented the system before critical security questions were resolved.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called Varro Vooglaid to the podium.
Varro Vooglaid
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Varro Vooglaid affirms EKRE's long-standing and firm position that e-elections must be terminated because they violate constitutional requirements concerning uniformity and observability. He also demands a clear promise from the Centre Party that they will support the termination of e-voting, even if they manage to enter the government in the future.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev confirms that the firm, and in the future unchangeable, position of the Estonian Centre Party faction is to halt e-elections in order to find answers regarding their transparency and reliability, although he doubts whether comprehensive answers (including those stemming from the OSCE's inquiries) will ever be found.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Rain Epler, inviting him to the rostrum.
Rain Epler
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Rain Epler sharply criticizes the system for submitting election protests, claiming it is designed in such a way that efforts to expose violations are doomed to fail. He questions whether the refusal of the Election Commission and Service to address video-proven violations is due to sheer stupidity or a cynical certainty that their mutual protection racket will hold up.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev expresses profound doubt regarding the actions of the responsible experts, finding that their conduct—which consists of constantly shuffling people from one authority to another until the deadline passes—suggests either serious incompetence in organizing complex processes or a deliberate avoidance of responsibility and ignoring of problems.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called Evelin Poolamets to the podium as the next speaker.
Evelin Poolamets
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Evelin Poolamets draws attention to a recent study showing that 42% of voters do not trust e-voting because the system fails to ensure transparency regarding the actual identity and origin of the voter (e.g., voting on behalf of a dependent or multiple votes originating from a single IP address). She criticizes the reliance on PR campaigns to boost confidence instead of implementing genuine technical improvements, and questions whether the technical assurance of e-voting reliability is even possible.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev criticizes the lack of transparency and the risk of abuse inherent in e-voting when compared to traditional paper voting, stressing that the systems are fundamentally too different. He notes that while technical solutions, such as facial recognition, could potentially boost public confidence in e-elections, these security measures are, for some reason, not advised for implementation.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar and Arvo Aller were invited to the rostrum to deliver their address.
Arvo Aller
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Arvo Aller criticizes the security of the e-voting system, emphasizing that only the validity of the certificate is checked, which leaves room for manipulation and the activities of "system manipulators" [or "button-pushers"]. He then asks the presenter whether the Centre Party is ready to move with EKRE toward abolishing e-voting and whether the opposition's draft bill is headed for the trash can.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev supports the constructive proposal to suspend e-elections until all doubts have been dispelled with convincing and unambiguous answers, but sharply criticizes Estonian parliamentary culture, where the coalition systematically rejects opposition initiatives regardless of their substantive merit, viewing this as a serious problem for the country's political culture.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar called upon Helle-Moonika Helme, who was invited to the podium to begin her presentation.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme expresses strong agreement with the position that e-elections have not taken root in democratic countries, citing as an example a personal experience from a state visit where a democratic nation refused to adopt the Estonian model because it is incompatible with democracy. Furthermore, she sharply criticizes the defenders of e-voting who ignore the constitutional requirements regarding the universality and directness of elections, responding to criticism merely with a "matter of faith," and demands that constitutional arguments be taken into account when abolishing e-elections.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev criticizes specific political forces who refuse to suspend or cancel e-elections because they see the system as beneficial to themselves, even as public distrust of e-voting is rapidly growing. Consequently, he hopes that a political coalition will emerge in the future that is ready to tackle the issue.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
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Siim Pohlak was called to the speaker's stand by Chairman Lauri Hussar to begin his presentation.
Siim Pohlak
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Siim Pohlak emphasizes the principle of the electoral law that every voter has one vote, citing as an example a situation where a daughter potentially cast two votes due to the misuse of an ID card. He then asks the presenter whether there have been documented disputes and court judgments in Estonia concerning cases where one person has been proven to have voted on behalf of multiple individuals.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev sharply criticizes the disparity and lack of uniformity between electronic and traditional elections, highlighting that e-voting lacks certainty regarding the voter's identity. This is because no one can state with absolute certainty that the PIN codes were entered by the person to whom they belong. Furthermore, he argues that the option for repeated voting in e-elections violates the constitutional principle of electoral uniformity.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Rene Koka, inviting him to the podium.
AI Summary
Rene Kokk deems the activities of the National Electoral Committee and the organization of e-elections tragicomical and utterly unacceptable, stressing that this abnormal situation persists only thanks to powerful political patronage, which is why pressure should be exerted on politicians at the European Union level.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev sharply criticizes the system's lack of transparency and the absence of answers to specific questions, which has led to a loss of trust. He emphasizes that neutral international experts also acknowledge the problem, and he believes that external analyses are precisely what can generate greater pressure in Estonia to resolve the procedural discrepancies, given that the number of people who trust e-elections is constantly declining.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Aleksei Yevgrafov, inviting him to begin his presentation.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
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Aleksei Yevgrafov casts doubt on the reliability and security of e-elections, citing as an example election results where the number of e-votes exceeds paper ballots, and emphasizes that if even the police admit the difficulty of verification and finding evidence, it is incomprehensible how this system can be trusted.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
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Vadim Belobrovtsev is questioning the reliability of e-voting, pointing out that while local experts deem the system sound, the ratio between e-votes and paper ballots raises serious concerns. He cites the 2023 Riigikogu elections as an example, where Reform Party candidates, including Kristen Michal, had a glaringly high proportion of e-votes in their electoral district (e.g., 8:1). This is conveniently explained away by citing "progressive voters." Since e-voting results cannot be verified one hundred percent and lodging a protest is difficult, this ratio is troubling and demands legislative intervention.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked the previous speaker, thus concluding the round of questions, and invited Ando Kiviberg, the Chairman of the Constitutional Committee, to the Riigikogu rostrum to present the discussion that had taken place in the committee.
Ando Kiviberg
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Ando Kiviberg provided an overview of the Constitutional Committee session, which discussed the bill initiated by the Centre Party faction to suspend e-voting under an expedited procedure. The move was prompted by the ODIHR report and low public trust. During the debate, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart, the bill's proponent, explained the rationale behind the proposal, while Arne Koitmäe, the head of the Electoral Service, affirmed that the system is auditable, legally compliant, and that a recent recount found no anomalies. He stressed that the OSCE has not recommended suspending e-voting due to a lack of reliability. The committee decided to forward the ODIHR recommendations to the Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs for the preparation of amendments, and the final vote on the bill was scheduled for November 6th.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar concluded his presentation with words of thanks, confirmed that the floor was open for questions, and then gave the floor to Aleksandr Tšaplõgin.
Aleksandr Tšaplõgin
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Aleksandr Tšaplõgin raised a critical question regarding the reliability of internet voting, asking the rapporteur directly whether the commission has discussed how and who can prove that the voter made their choice online independently and entirely voluntarily.
Ando Kiviberg
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Ando Kiviberg explained that although the commission did not discuss this specific matter, his personal view is that he is very grateful for the availability of both electronic and polling-booth voting options, using them based on convenience or the desire to experience voting as a solemn moment.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
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Chairman Lauri Hussar gave the floor to Peeter Ernits, inviting him to the podium.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits drew attention to the Prime Minister's sharp comparison between the integrity of Reinsalu's word and the Russian elections, and demanded clarification from the committee chairman on whether the committee had discussed the Prime Minister's stance regarding the reliability of the Russian elections, and whether the chairman shares that view.
Ando Kiviberg
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Ando Kiviberg stressed that because the matter at hand has not been discussed by the committee and he is hearing about it for the first time, he cannot offer an opinion on it until he has familiarized himself with the official position.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar Helle-Moonika Helme was called to the podium to deliver her presentation.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme sharply criticized the recurring and unresolved fundamental flaws of e-elections, which she assessed as being contrary to the spirit of the constitution. She demanded that the chairman of the Constitutional Committee unequivocally prove how e-elections comply with the requirements of § 60 of the Constitution—to be general, uniform, and direct—rather than being based merely on faith or trust.
Ando Kiviberg
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Ando Kiviberg, who emphasizes that he does not consider himself a constitutional expert, affirms that he relies on the operational framework and institutions of the Estonian state, citing the Supreme Court's position on the issue of e-voting, and explains that the Constitutional Committee has addressed the shortcomings noted in the ODIHR report very seriously, by organizing a public hearing and formally submitting a written request to the Ministry of Justice.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar announced that the time allocated for today's debate had expired and that the discussion would continue on Monday, simultaneously answering Rain Epler's question. He then thanked all Riigikogu members for their active participation, wished them success in their work, and concluded by saying, "See you at Monday's plenary session."
Ando Kiviberg
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Ando Kiviberg confined himself to a brief word of thanks.