First Reading of the Draft Act on Amendments to the Local Government Council Election Act (387 SE)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session.
Date: 2024-05-08 23:59
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 32
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 44m
AI Summaries: 32/32 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
This agenda item addresses Bill 387, initiated by the Isamaa faction, concerning the amendment of the Local Government Council Election Act, which is undergoing its first reading in the Riigikogu. The objective of the bill is to define future restrictions on voting rights in local government elections: Voting rights would be reserved for citizens of the Republic of Estonia, citizens of European Union member states, and citizens of countries with bilateral agreements; citizens of third countries and stateless persons would henceforth have restricted or prohibited voting rights. This halts or restricts suffrage in a broader context; the discussion also raises issues of internal security and integration in a wartime situation and highlights the need for risk mitigation by KAPO (Estonian Internal Security Service). Furthermore, there was a discussion about whether the amendments should be made at the statutory or constitutional level, and what a broad consensus and timeline for further steps would entail.
Decisions Made 1
The first reading has concluded; consideration of the draft bill will continue. The deadline for submitting amendments is 5:15 PM on May 22nd of the current year. The sustainability of the project, and whether a statutory amendment or a constitutional amendment is required, will be the focus of the subsequent proceedings.
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker; Member of the Riigikogu, Isamaa faction; position: right (right-wing/view).
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Agenda Item 12 addresses the first reading of Draft Act 387 on the amendment of the Local Government Council Election Act, which was initiated by the Isamaa faction. Helir-Valdor Seeder is the designated rapporteur.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder presented a draft bill aimed at restricting the right to vote in local government elections, where suffrage would be granted only to citizens of the Republic of Estonia, citizens of European Union member states, and citizens of countries based on bilateral agreements (starting from the age of 16). He emphasized that the solution requires either a change in the law or the constitution, and that suspending the voting rights of Russian and Belarusian citizens is necessary to ensure security. He also called for a broad consensus and a rapid discussion, while simultaneously criticizing the coalition for its delays.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi thanked the audience, invited questions, and asked Jaanus Karilaid to present his question.
Jaanus Karilaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The rapporteur notes that the Reform Party is of the same mind as Isamaa on this issue, the draft bill is ready, and experts have been consulted, which gives hope that the bill will soon reach us.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder stated that the coalition and the government have not yet made a decision regarding this draft bill, and that the coalition currently lacks support for it. He added that his proposal would grant voting rights to citizens of Estonia and the European Union, as well as citizens of third countries that have bilateral agreements with Estonia, but would exclude stateless persons. Furthermore, he argued that if the bill were to take effect, it would incentivize language study, the passing of the constitution and citizenship exams, and participation in local elections, thereby aiding better integration.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi calls Kalle Grünthal.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Grünthal stresses that while the right to vote is intended for the inclusion of the populace, the greater issue lies in the unified citizenship of the European Union and the effect of free movement, which allows EU citizens to participate in local government elections.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The core of the speech is expressing gratitude.
Kalle Grünthal
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He/She expresses concern that Estonians are being marginalized and asks if this is viewed as a threat.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder states that the right to vote in Estonian local elections for citizens of third countries does not stem from EU law, but is Estonia's sovereign decision. The example of Latvia illustrates how citizenship motivates the Russian-speaking population to integrate and acquire voting rights, and he emphasizes that citizenship is not a privilege, but an obligation.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi called upon Priit Sibul to speak.
Priit Sibul
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Priit Sibul stated that, taking into account the statements adopted by Parliament and the discussions that have been held, the amendment to the bill could be discussed in such a way that the reference to citizens of third countries is replaced with a reference to citizens of countries that have supported aggression.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder said that one option is to restrict the voting rights of citizens of aggressor states or states supporting them, but the precise definition of aggressor states is complicated, and the aim is to find the largest possible common ground during the discussions.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Unfortunately, the provided excerpt does not include the full content of the speech, so I cannot create an accurate one-sentence summary. Please provide the entire speech.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
The speech focused on the concept of "minimal" and emphasized only the minimum level.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi asked Jaanus Karilaid to come and speak.
Jaanus Karilaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaanus Karilaid asks how the coalition logic of the Ministry of Internal Affairs—which dictates that the topic cannot be addressed for fear of offending the Russian community or fishing for votes—aligns with the decision, adopted by an overwhelming majority, to separate the local Russian Orthodox Church from the Moscow Patriarchate.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder stated that the Interior Minister’s plan to suspend voting rights is incomprehensible and inadequate, arguing that it would create tensions and leave uncertainty regarding the expiry date. He added that while the coalition agreement specifies the restriction would be aimed at Russian and Belarusian citizens, his own draft bill applies equally to all third-country nationals.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Deputy Chairman invited Riina Solman to take the floor.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman asks how the Latvians have managed to quickly prevent such influence operations from affecting their decision-making bodies and society, and bring Kremlin-aligned manifestations under control, and also in how many European countries third-country nationals have the right to vote.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Seeder stated that Latvia serves as a model for us regarding citizenship, migration, and language policy, and that Estonia should follow the same path because our large number of Russian citizens and stateless persons makes the issue of voting rights for third-country nationals in local elections more significant and justifiable than it is in Finland or Sweden.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi requests that the second question be put to Riina Solman.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman points out that the proportion of immigrants and refugees in the populations of Estonia and Latvia is high, noting that roughly a third of the population were immigrants even before the arrival of Ukrainian war refugees. Given the lack of consensus in Parliament for passing the necessary legislation, she asks what mechanism Parliament should employ going forward.
Helir-Valdor Seeder
Profiling Isamaa fraktsioonAI Summary
Helir-Valdor Seeder stated that 51 votes are sufficient to change a law, but there are two possibilities for amending the constitution: either in an expedited procedure with 81 votes, or by a majority vote over the course of two parliamentary compositions. The third option is a referendum, but the first two are the realistic ones: amending the constitution or changing the law.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked [the speaker] for the comprehensive presentation, stated that he had no questions, and, as the representative of the leading committee, introduced Hendrik Johannes Terras, Chairman of the Constitutional Committee, to the Riigikogu to deliver the report.
Hendrik Johannes Terras
AI Summary
The discussion at the January 16 session addressed the need to amend the draft constitution, various interpretations, and the impact on the voting rights of citizens of third countries and the European Union. Significant consideration was given to whether the initiative stems from geopolitical security concerns or the context established by the constitution's drafters. Furthermore, it was discussed that in a situation where Russia is broadly recruiting men for service, Estonians who have the right to vote in local elections might end up going to the front line. The committee concluded the first reading with 5 votes in favor and 1 vote against, and the deadline for submitting amendments is ten working days.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi expresses his thanks, opens the negotiations, and Vadim Belobrovtsev takes the floor to speak on behalf of the Estonian Centre Party faction.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Overall, the speaker argues that the draft bill is flawed both formally and substantively because it violates the constitution and restricts the right to vote in local elections for citizens of Russia and Belarus, as well as other third-country nationals and stateless persons. This is despite integration studies indicating that most of them feel at home in Estonia and wish to acquire citizenship, which is currently not possible.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech lasts three minutes.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev said that although there are different opinions regarding Russia's actions in Ukraine, we must not generalize all people, and his faction wishes to reject this current bill at the first reading because it is flawed both in substance and in form. Furthermore, we must first decide whether to deliberate on draft legislation that is known to contradict the Estonian Constitution.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi announced that the first reading of draft bill 387 would be concluded, and a proposal had been submitted to the Riigikogu Board to reject it during the first reading. The Centre Party faction will put this proposal to a vote and asks everyone to take a position.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Proposal 387 received only 3 votes in favor, 40 against, and 0 abstentions; the first reading is concluded, and the deadline for amendments is 17:15 on May 22nd of the current year. The agenda item is concluded.