Voting rights of Russian citizens
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, information briefing
Date: 2024-01-24 14:53
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 11
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 10m
AI Summaries: 11/11 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
Today's discussion centered on a security policy sensitive topic: restricting the voting rights of Russian and Belarusian citizens in local government elections. Riigikogu member Riina Solman (Isamaa) posed a sharp question to Minister of Justice Kalle Laanet, accusing the government of stalling the issue and lacking internal coalition unity. Solman emphasized that Estonia is one of the few countries showing such tolerance towards non-citizens during a wartime situation, and criticized the government for continuing its "steamroller politics," which ignores the security threat. She referred to an analysis by the Ministry of Justice that allegedly showed the possibility of imposing restrictions without amending the Constitution, and demanded an explanation from the Minister as to why this analysis has been shelved. Minister Kalle Laanet (Reform Party) replied that although the topic is relevant, the legal situation is complex. He stressed that the adage "two lawyers, three opinions" applies here too, and referred to the positions of the Chancellor of Justice and the Presidential Chancellery, according to which restricting voting rights based on citizenship without amending the Constitution is extremely difficult. Laanet confirmed that the ministry sent a memo on January 17th, indicating that imposing restrictions would require amending Article 156, paragraph 2 of the Constitution. He explained that changing the Constitution requires either a referendum, the approval of two consecutive compositions of the Riigikogu, or, under expedited procedure, the consent of four-fifths of the Riigikogu composition. The Minister highlighted that there is a lack of consensus within the coalition, as one partner opposes the restrictions, meaning the Ministry of Justice cannot independently take the initiative.
Decisions Made 1
No concrete decisions were reached concerning the restriction of voting rights for citizens of Russia and Belarus in local elections. Minister of Justice Kalle Laanet confirmed that the processing of the draft legislation has been halted due to a lack of internal consensus within the coalition, and that legal obstacles (the necessity of amending the constitution) require a broader political agreement, which has not been achieved at this time.
Most Active Speaker
Riigikogu member Riina Solman (Isamaa, opposition) was the most active and critical participant in the debate. She posed both the initial question and a clarifying follow-up, accusing the government of avoiding the resolution of the security issue and fragmenting the coalition. As a concrete solution, Solman proposed holding a referendum during the European Parliament elections to speed up the constitutional amendment process and prevent the blocking of the necessary 81 votes in the Riigikogu. Her position was clearly oppositional, demanding swift and decisive action from the government in mitigating security threats.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The fifth question today concerns the voting rights of Russian citizens, and it will be posed by Riigikogu member Riina Solman to Justice Minister Kalle Laanet.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman stated that submitting the car tax bill to the Riigikogu (Parliament) is a step in the right direction toward restoring parliamentary democracy. She emphasized the necessity of securing additional funding for teachers and affirmed that, given the wartime situation, the question of revoking the voting rights of non-citizens must not be delayed. Furthermore, she inquired why the Ministry of Justice's analysis, which demonstrates the feasibility of implementing the necessary changes without amending the constitution, has been left on the shelf.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The address is merely a request directed to the Minister.
Justiitsminister Kalle Laanet
AI Summary
Minister of Justice Kalle Laanet said that although the Chancellor of Justice and the Office of the President have noted the complexity of restricting voting rights without amending the constitution, based on the memo, it is possible to amend the constitution and restrict voting rights in local government elections. Furthermore, the process has been analyzed in the Riigikogu and is theoretically feasible via a referendum, through two successive compositions of the Riigikogu, or as an urgent amendment requiring the consent of four-fifths.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked [the previous speaker/the audience] and asked Riina Solman to pose a clarifying question.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the coalition's fragmentation over issues of suffrage and national security. She calls for considering an assessment from the Supreme Court or amending the Constitution to expedite a resolution, and suggests holding a referendum concurrently with the European Parliament elections to save state funds. This is because some deputies represent Russian-speaking voters who are not citizens of the Republic of Estonia and could potentially block the securing of the necessary 81 votes.
Justiitsminister Kalle Laanet
AI Summary
The main message of the speech is that there are various ways to amend the constitution, and restrictions on local government elections for Russian and Belarusian citizens are under discussion, but the initiative must come from the coalition and requires broad consensus.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanked him and called upon Helir-Valdor Seeder to ask an additional question.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder criticizes the answers as unsatisfactory and emphasizes that resolving a serious security issue requires following constitutional and legal procedure and obtaining a final decision from the Supreme Court. He also asks for specific coalition agreements concerning the voting rights of Russian and Belarusian citizens, and what measures will be brought to parliament and when, while simultaneously supporting Isamaa's proposal to restrict the voting rights of third-country citizens only when a corresponding agreement is in place.
Justiitsminister Kalle Laanet
AI Summary
Justice Minister Kalle Laanet stated that the opposition can never be satisfied with the coalition, and that to achieve success, they must proceed by consensus. He noted that the land tax and car tax were adopted by the government as a consensual decision, but that opposition to changing the election law comes from the coalition partner, the President's Chancellery, and the Chancellor of Justice. Amending the constitution is possible through an accelerated procedure or via a referendum, but the next step and the date for this are not yet known.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The Chairman thanks you and concludes the consideration of today's fifth item.