Riigikogu
Riigikogu
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Riigikogu

The 9th Riigikogu represented the citizens of Estonia as the legislative power from 14 March 1999 to 21 March 2003. Its members represented seven political parties: the Estonian Centre Party, the Pro Patria Union, the Estonian Reform Party, political party "The Moderates", the Estonian Coalition Party, the Estonian Country People’s Party and the United People’s Party of Estonia. 880 legislative acts were passed and the administrative, penal and civil law reforms were carried out.

Final photo of the 9th Riigikogu, 20 February 2003.

Elections

The elections of the 9th Riigikogu were held on 7 March 1999, and 492 356, that is, 57.4% of the 857 270 Estonian citizens with the right to vote took part in them.

57.4% of Estonian citizens with the right to vote participated in the elections of the 9th Riigikogu which meant the lowest voter turnout of the period after the restoration of independence

1884 people stood as candidates for the Riigikogu, 19 of them as independent candidates.

Seven political parties exceeded the 5% threshold provided for in the Riigikogu Election Act:

  • the Estonian Centre Party,
  • the Pro Patria Union,
  • the Estonian Reform Party,
  • political party “The Moderates”,
  • the Estonian Coalition Party,
  • the Estonian Country People’s Party and
  • the United People’s Party of Estonia.

The Estonian Centre Party received the greatest number votes – 113,378 (23.4%) – and got 28 seats in the Riigikogu. The Centre Party was popular mostly in rural areas. In the Riigikogu, the Centre Party remained in opposition. The Government was formed by the representatives of the Pro Patria Union, the Moderates and the Reform Party.

The Riigikogu elected Toomas Savi from the Reform Party as the President, and Tunne Kelam from the Pro Patria Union and Siiri Oviir from the Centre Party as the Vice-Presidents.

The 9th Riigikogu was convened for the first sitting on 18 March 1999 and it held its last sitting on 25 February 2002. The mandate of this Riigikogu lasted from 14 March 1999 to 21 March 2003.

Legislation

The 9th Riigikogu passed altogether 880 legislative acts, including 150 consolidated texts of Acts and 490 Acts on amendments, 118 Acts concerning international agreements, 110 Resolutions and 2 statements.

During the term of the 9th Riigikogu, the long-prepared administrative, penal and civil law reforms were carried out, and proceedings were conducted on the Bills connected with transposition of European Union directives into the Estonian legal order and the amendment of the Constitution that was necessary for accession to the European Union was passed.

Important in terms of development of constitutional law was the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia Amendment Act, that was put to referendum with a Resolution of the 9th Riigikogu.

The Referendum Act, the Courts Act, the Peace-Time National Defence Actthe National Audit Office Act and the Constitutional Review Court Procedure Act were passed as the most important new Acts.

Among the Acts passed by the 9th Riigikogu, an important Act as regards the social guarantees system is the Funded Pensions Act, which gave people the possibility to ensure for themselves additional income supplementing the state old-age pension in retirement, that is, to create for themselves the second and the third pension pillars.

The 9th Riigikogu passed altogether 880 legislative acts, including 150 consolidated texts of Acts and 490 Acts on amendments, 118 Acts concerning international agreements, 110 Resolutions and 2 statements.

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Last updated: 25.09.2023

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