Session Profile: Mario Kadastik
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
2024-05-07
Political Position
The political position is one of strong support for the e-voting system and the pending bill, which we urge support for on behalf of the Reform Party. This stance is strongly justified by the necessity of ensuring the system's successful operation, security, and clarity within the legal framework, while emphasizing the crucial role of digital identity. The speaker frames e-voting as an inevitable and successful technological channel that provides citizens with greater opportunities.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates profound technical and regulatory expertise in the field of e-voting, employing terms such as the "digital two-envelope system" and "cryptography architecture." He relies on facts (19 years of implementation, zero incidents) and cites external audits (OSCE, University of Tartu, University of Oxford) to confirm the system's security. Furthermore, he demonstrates knowledge of how the European Union's new Digital Markets Act (DMA) impacts the mitigation of mobile voting risks.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is fact-based, analytical, and defensive, focusing on refuting rumors and hypotheses with concrete facts. Logical appeals and technical explanations are used, maintaining a formal and authoritative tone. To emphasize system security, the verifiability of the electoral system is compared to the technology implemented in banking.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker is actively participating in the plenary session discussion concerning e-elections, noting that a debate on a matter of significant national importance is also scheduled for Thursday. He urges members of the Riigikogu (Parliament) and political parties to take part in the test elections to gain a proper understanding of how the system operates.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
Opposing viewpoints are addressed head-on, comparisons to the Russian system are refuted, and a response is provided to Anastassia's comment regarding the risks of m-elections. The critique is primarily directed at disinformation and hypotheses concerning the system's security, emphasizing that no real incidents have been reported in the past 19 years. It is also stressed that the recommendations of critics (including the OSCE) have always been taken into account.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The style of cooperation is partisan, as the speech concludes with a call to support the bill on behalf of the Reform Party. At the same time, all members of the Riigikogu and political parties are urged to participate in test elections and training sessions to ensure the system's transparency and clarity.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The primary focus is at the national level (Estonia's e-voting system and digital identity) and the international level (comparisons with other countries, references to the EU Digital Market Act and OSCE reports). Regionally, only the case of the Tallinn City Council elections is mentioned to illustrate the problems associated with paper voting.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
Insufficient data.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
When discussing social issues, attention is paid to the role of digital identity (the mandatory ID card requirement) in ensuring suffrage and protecting the secrecy of elections. It is stressed that e-voting provides people with more options and offers better protection against undue influence, as it allows them to vote multiple times or revert to casting a paper ballot.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The main legislative focus is on supplementing the regulatory framework for e-elections and establishing legal clarity by elevating provisions previously contained in lower-level subordinate legislation to the level of statutory law. The speaker is a strong proponent of the bill, emphasizing that it increases clarity within the legal framework and the definition of accountability without introducing massive substantive changes.
1 Speeches Analyzed