Session Profile: Andre Hanimägi
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
2024-05-09
Political Position
The speaker strongly supports the continuation and development of the e-voting system, emphasizing its positive impact on voter turnout. The primary focus is on defending the legitimacy of the elections, countering criticism that, in their view, is politically motivated and threatens democracy. The stance is robustly policy- and results-based, utilizing historical data to demonstrate the system's security.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates thorough expertise regarding the history, statistics, and technical details of e-elections. Specific data is used concerning the growth in the number of e-voters (e.g., 313,514 e-voters in 2023), and reference is made to technological solutions such as Smart-ID and the option to verify one's vote using a smart device. Furthermore, the speaker is familiar with the legal framework, citing the Supreme Court's acknowledgments regarding the need for more comprehensive regulation of the law.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The style is analytical and data-driven, utilizing statistics and historical facts to defend e-voting. The tone is moderately assertive, particularly when criticizing the political motives of opponents and accusing them of polarizing society. The speaker emphasizes logical argumentation, highlighting the complete lack of evidence of electoral fraud throughout the 20-year history.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker's activity patterns are restricted solely to participation in the plenary session debate concerning the topic of e-elections. Data is unavailable regarding the frequency of appearances, the pace, or any other public activities.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The main opponents are the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), which initiated the debate, and previously the Centre Party, which is accused of running a long-term campaign against e-voting. The criticism is intense and political, arguing that the opponents' doubts stem from unfavorable election results, not facts. The speaker believes that this activity poses a direct threat to democracy, as it calls the legitimacy of the government into question.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The speaker references previous coalition experience, noting that EKRE had the chance to thoroughly audit the e-voting system while they were in government, but they failed to find any evidence of fraud. This demonstrates a willingness to weaponize political history to discredit opponents. There is no direct expression of openness to compromise or cross-party cooperation in the current debate; instead, the necessity of preserving e-voting is stressed.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is entirely on the national level, covering the Estonian electoral system and its history. The international context is also mentioned, referencing the European Commission's stance on the positive effect of e-voting on voter turnout.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
There is not enough data.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The primary social theme is the erosion of trust in democratic processes and the resulting danger of societal polarization, fueled by challenges to election results. E-voting is viewed as a positive mechanism for stemming the decline in voter turnout, as it offers voters additional avenues for participation.
2 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus is on streamlining the regulation of e-elections and enhancing security, citing the Supreme Court's requirement to establish the framework for electronic voting more thoroughly in law. Draft legislation ensuring authentication and proper organization, such as the bill concerning Smart-ID, is supported, and it is emphasized that the legislature has been actively addressing this.
2 Speeches Analyzed