Draft Law Amending the Act on the Election of Municipal Councils (544 SE) – First Reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary meeting
Date: 2025-02-13 12:06
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 40
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 43m
AI Summaries: 40/40 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The draft law amending the Local Government Council Election Act, initiated by the Isamaa faction, 544, received its first reading in the Riigikogu today. The draft is of a technical nature and is related to amendments to the Constitution: its aim is to adjust the timing of certain election procedures so that they can be carried out for the local government council elections taking place in the autumn. The first point amends paragraph 8, section 6, to set the deadline for the formation of electoral districts as no later than 60 days before election day (currently 90 days); the second point amends the dates in paragraph 9, section 1, changing 1st June to 15th July. In addition, there was discussion about how these date changes might affect the distribution of mandates and the voter base, and whether they will be permanent or temporary in nature. If consensus is reached on amending the Constitution, it is believed that all election procedures will run more smoothly and the election results will not be skewed. Another topic was the government's position and the opinions and considerations of committees regarding the possibility of parallel proceedings with the constitutional amendments – the discussion took shape around the idea that, in the interests of legality and operational speed, the draft law could be processed in parallel with the constitutional amendment, but the final decision will be made by the Riigikogu.
Decisions Made 1
When the jointly prepared discussion reached a consensus, the first reading of the draft was concluded and the deadline for amendment proposals was set at ten working days, as required by law. It was also agreed that the government's positions and the committees' confirmations regarding the impact of date changes would not create insurmountable obstacles. Furthermore, a decision was adopted to continue the draft’s proceedings and, if possible, to implement the amendments no later than February 28th at 4:00 PM. It was expressed that the underlying amendments could be permanent and would not restrict future local government elections, should the necessary parliamentary consensus be gathered for an amendment to the constitution.
Most Active Speaker
Ants Frosch (Isamaa faction) was the most active speaker. He represented viewpoints from a right-wing perspective and emphasized the importance of the argument and the integrity of the overall democratic process. In the context of court and election rules, his role played a leading position as a representative of the faction, and his presence during the discussion echoes the positions of Isamaa as a right-wing party.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Arvo Aller opens today’s agenda and announces that the Isamaa faction-initiated draft bill No. 544 to amend the Local Government Council Elections Act is in its first reading, with Riigikogu member Helir-Valdor Seedri as the rapporteur.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Isamaa submitted to the Riigikogu for processing a draft amendment to the Local Government Council Elections Act, No. 544, which would change the deadline for forming electoral districts to no later than 60 days before Election Day (the current deadline is 90 days) and the date on which the distribution of mandates is based to be from June 1 to July 15, and it is planned to consider these changes in parallel with a constitutional amendment and to keep the dates fixed, taking Tallinn's peculiarity into account.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Thank you, there were no questions, and next the chairman of the Constitutional Committee, Hendrik Johannes Terras, will summarize the discussion that took place in the leading committee.
Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
The Constitutional Committee discussed the proposal rather briefly, found two questions related to temporariness, and by consensus decided to end the bill's first reading and set the deadline for amendment proposals at ten working days in accordance with the law.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller opens the negotiations, in which factions may participate, and by mandate Ants Frosch represents the Isamaa faction.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch said that although Bill 544 is necessary, it is dangerous for democracy if the coalition ignores the work of the Riigikogu; the establishment of voting rights for stateless persons is unacceptable, and the local election system where electoral coalitions and the D'Hondt method give an advantage to mini-oligarchs threatens long-term stability and democracy.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller asks for three more minutes.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch stressed that in Elva Parish and across Estonia there is no effective mechanism for verifying the actual place of residence, and the reliability of e-voting threatens democracy, as evidenced by the observations of the OSCE ODIHR mission, and to address this, practical measures are needed before the 2025 local elections.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-chairman Arvo Aller thanked and invited Priit Lomp to speak on behalf of the Social Democratic Party.
Priit Lomp
AI Summary
Priit Lomp thanks the esteemed chair of the meeting and his colleagues, and asks for three more minutes.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
He asks for three more minutes of extra time.
Priit Lomp
AI Summary
Priit Lomp said that this is a technical draft to adjust deadlines, which the Social Democrats plan to continue supporting if Isamaa weighs changing the constitution, and he urged Isamaa members to first talk things through among themselves to get things clear, and only then to present their positions from the podium, in order to avoid confrontation while addressing local issues and to focus on real solutions.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair thanks, and before Ants's reply speech is given, Helir-Valdor Seedri has a question for the chair of the meeting.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
He raised an important procedural question about the accuracy of the stenogram and noted that the handwritten notes shown on television are the first publication of the calculations, and on the basis of them the coalition's energy policy will take shape for the coming decades.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
This speech deals with the draft amendment bill to the Local Government Council Elections Act, which may partly concern energy, and notes that it began with Ants Froschi's inspiration.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He stressed that local-level democracy does not work and that the existing problems must be solved, although he did not say which solutions he prefers.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller thanks and mentions the name of Mart Maastik; Ants Frosch from the Isamaa faction voiced his thoughts, but we are making an exception and asking Mart Maastik to take the floor.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik said that Isamaa does not make decisions according to Igor Tarо's schedules, and before clarifying the amount to be paid for the energy infrastructure, he criticized secret decisions and the accumulation of unfounded calculations, and stressed that the doors are open to all energy types, including a nuclear power plant, if this is in line with the market situation, but does not support building the energy infrastructure with subsidies and upfront payments.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller informed that Vadim Belobrovtsev will speak from the podium on behalf of the Centre Party faction, and it is hoped to obtain answers to Riina's questions, but first we will hear the speech from the podium.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The speaker asserts that the constitution is being hastily amended to grant voting rights to Estonia's long-term residents and to holders of gray passports, disregarding the Venice Commission's postulates and threatening the election outcome, which he regards as nihilism of the rule of law and democracy, citing as an example the rapid changes to laws to satisfy individuals' wishes, as in the case of the office of the State Secretary.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller said that three more minutes would be added.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev claims that right-wing parties are using the constitutional amendment for political gain, restricting the right to vote for thousands of Estonian residents and doing so cynically in a democratic country, while asking why non-citizens are deprived of the right to vote, but Russian citizens are not, and he calls on people to listen to Liia Hännit and to reject the bill at its first reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The vice-chair thanks and informs that Tanel Kiigel will submit a question to the chair of the meeting.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik asks whether the bill under discussion also covers e-voting and its possible prohibition, or whether there should be a separate bill for that.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller, the chair of the meeting, announced that it is the law amending the Local Government Council Election Act, over which discussions are taking place, and mentioned Riina Solman's name in one of the presentations, so her response is awaited.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman warns that the threat from Russia is not merely speculation, emphasizes that Russian citizens or people with a grey passport must not be allowed to vote in elections, and cites examples from Finland and a warning from Kapo, stating that Estonia must be protected and act in unison against security threats.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller announced that after the reply speech he could no longer respond, and that the negotiations had ended, and he declared them terminated.
Priit Lomp
AI Summary
Priit Lomp notes that his colleague Frosch has expanded the content of the debate draft, and he wants to know how to present his counterargument to his colleagues.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Procedurally, the Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller announced that during the negotiations Ants Froschi and Riina Solman were mentioned, and they were given the opportunity to make a reply, but the reply could not be transmitted further, and he invited Vadim Belobrovtsev to present a question to the chair of the meeting.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
They are asking about the procedure and claim that Riina Solmani's response was addressed to them directly and mentioned their name, although they had not previously mentioned Riina Solmani's name, and therefore they believe they should have the opportunity to respond to it.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller said that after the rebuttal speech you cannot make a new rebuttal; in Priit Lomb's speech the name Riina Solman was mentioned, and he turned to Ants Frosch to ask the chair of the meeting a question.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He is forced to use this method and must tell Mr. Lomb the following.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
They recommend discussing the topic outside of the session and emphasize that it is in no way related to the procedure.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch claims that putting words into someone else's mouth is relatively widespread among social democrats, and that Tanel Kiik has done it as well, and he recommends checking, according to the transcript, what was said.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
According to Arvo Alleri, this is not related to the procedure.
Ants Frosch
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Ants Frosch notes that when it comes to electoral alliances, the criticism always lands on the person the stone hits.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Old proverbs have been read aloud; Priit Lomp presents a procedural question and then we move on.
Priit Lomp
AI Summary
Priit Lomp raised a procedural question as to whether the Centre faction, which yesterday distrusted the government, is today the only one that supports the government's position in the context of the given bill.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Arvo Aller announced that Bill 544 should be terminated at its first reading, but the Estonian Centre Party faction submitted a proposal to reject the bill and urged the members of the Riigikogu to vote.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The proposal did not gain support (4 in favour, 49 against, 0 abstentions); the first reading of Bill 544 has been completed; the deadline for amendments is 28 February this year at 16:00; the agenda has been exhausted and the session has ended.