Draft law (559 SE) for the accession of the Statute of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance – First Reading
Session: 15th Estonian Parliament, 5th session, plenary session
Date: 2025-04-09 22:13
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 22
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 26m
AI Summaries: 22/22 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The agenda item was the first reading of draft law 559 concerning Estonia’s accession to the statutes of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), initiated by the Government of the Republic. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna introduced the draft, emphasizing that IDEA is an important intergovernmental organization dedicated to promoting democracy, human rights, and fair elections. The Minister highlighted that Estonia’s accession (with an annual membership fee of 70,000 euros) will contribute to Estonia’s positive image and provides Estonia with an opportunity to share its e-election experience. IDEA’s active involvement in preparing elections in Ukraine was also mentioned. Ester Karuse presented the report from the Foreign Affairs Committee.
In the discussions, the Conservative People’s Party of Estonia faction (Peeter Ernits and Varro Vooglaid) sharply criticized the necessity of accession, considering IDEA to be a pointless organization and a waste of membership fee money. Varro Vooglaid questioned the transparency of the organization's funding and, on behalf of the faction, proposed rejecting the draft law in the first reading. The proposal did not garner support in the vote, and therefore the first reading was concluded.
Decisions Made 3
The proposal by the Conservative People's Party faction to reject draft law 559 on the first reading did not find support (4 in favor, 38 against).
Bill 559 has concluded its first reading.
The deadline for submitting amendments was set for April 24th at 5:15 PM.
Most Active Speaker
Varro Vooglaid (from the Estonian Conservative People's Party), who presented a proposal to reject the bill on behalf of the faction and sharply criticized the usefulness of merging with the organization. His position is the better one.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The seventh item on the agenda will deal with the government-initiated bill No. 559 on acceding to the charter of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance in its first reading, and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna will deliver a briefing on it to the Riigikogu.
Välisminister Margus Tsahkna
AI Summary
Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that, under Bill 559, Estonia will officially join IDEA—the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance—which promotes democracy, transparency, digital solutions, and the fight against disinformation worldwide (including in Ukraine), and whose membership costs Estonia 70,000 euros per year.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair thanked the minister and now asked Ester Karuse, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, to come to the Riigikogu podium to introduce the debate.
Ester Karuse
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
A draft law on joining the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance's statutes was submitted to the Riigikogu; the Foreign Affairs Committee gave an overview of the proceedings, it was decided to bring the draft to the plenary agenda on 9 April, to propose concluding the first reading, and to appoint Ester Karuse as the chair of the lead committee, and the draft requires a majority of the Riigikogu's votes in favor for adoption.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar thanks the presenter and asks Peeter Ernits to pose at least one question.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He asks why Estonia can't do without yet another merger.
Ester Karuse
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
In the commission, there was no substantive discussion about whether Estonia could operate without this organization, although Estonia belongs to many organizations, and that question should have been asked directly of the minister.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar addresses Varro Vooglaid and makes a request.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid thanks and notes that Estonia is doing well without joining this organization, but asks a member of the commission to briefly outline two to three concrete benefits that joining this organization could bring.
Ester Karuse
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Estonia's participation in IDEA strengthens its foreign policy image as a country that champions progressive democracy and human rights, and it brings benefits to security and to the economy related to digital solutions.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar asks Varro Vooglaid to appear on stage.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid said that the entire section of the explanatory memorandum is full of slogans, and Estonia does not see any practical benefit in joining IDEA or in paying 70,000 euros per year, and he asked what real gains would come to the state and asked for practical explanations of how this would improve our image as a proponent of progressive democracy.
Ester Karuse
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The answer contained a very practical matter regarding digital solutions, which generated interest and is economically beneficial, and we discussed it in the Foreign Affairs Committee; substantive questions should have been put to the minister in order to obtain more thorough answers, but for now I am talking about what happened in the committee.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chairman Lauri Hussar asks Peeter Ernits to come onto the stage.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits asks what the committee actually discussed about the purchase of an indulgence worth 70,000 euros during difficult times—were there discussions or did they simply nod to the minister and move on.
Ester Karuse
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
We listened to the minister's briefing, and the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee proposed sending a more detailed document that explains the organization's activities, with which we could learn more about the organization and become familiar with the document.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar thanked the presenter, stated that there were no questions, opened negotiations, and invited his colleague Varro Vooglaiu to speak at the Riigikogu rostrum on behalf of the EKRE faction.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Vooglaid asks for three more minutes, saying that perhaps this will be necessary.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
They ask for three more minutes.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid stated that Estonia cannot benefit from IDEA, and joining is pointless and the funding-related impact is inadequate, and he called for focusing on steps to promote real democracy such as a popular initiative, direct election of the president, and early elections, and he proposed rejecting the bill at its first reading.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The chair, Lauri Hussar, informed that the leadership wishes to conclude the first reading of draft bill 559, but the EKRE faction submitted a motion to postpone the first reading and put it to a vote.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The proposal received 4 votes in favour, 38 against, and there were no abstentions; therefore it did not gain support and the first reading of Bill 559 was terminated; the deadline for submitting amendments is 24 April at 5:15 p.m.