EU Country's Prime Minister Advocates for Ban on Russian Voting Rights
The Prime Minister of Estonia has stated that due to the threat posed by Russia, citizens from that country should not be allowed to participate in local elections. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Kristen Michal has stated that Russia poses a threat to Estonia, and that Russian citizens should not have a say in the country's affairs.
According to the Estonian government, Russian speakers account for 20% of the nation's population, which totals just under 1.4 million. Current Estonian laws allow only Estonian citizens to elect members of parliament, known as the Riigikogu. However, the 1992 constitution granted the right to vote in local elections to all permanent residents, a decision that controversially denied many ethnic Russians the right to citizenship.
In an interview with EER on Friday, Michal declared, “Russia is a security threat, and Russian citizens should not have a say in Estonian affairs, just like Belarusian citizens.” He further insisted that “Their right to vote must be suspended or taken away.”
As the Prime Minister and chairman of the Reform Party, which currently holds the most seats in the Riigikogu, he emphasized the party's willingness to amend legislation or even change the Constitution to ensure that Russian citizens are prohibited from participating in local elections. The Reform Party is part of a coalition with the Social Democratic Party and Estonia 200.
Earlier on Friday, SDE leader Lauri Laanemets proposed that Russians loyal to Estonia and opposed to the Moscow government should retain the right to vote in municipal elections. He indicated that the voting ban should only apply to those identified by the Estonian police as security threats, suggesting that under such criteria, only a third of Russians would be eligible to participate in elections.
The next municipal election in Estonia is set for October 2025.
Earlier this year, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that Estonia has become a “mini-totalitarian regime.”
Estonia has consistently supported Ukraine, providing over $500,000 in military aid and advocating for increasingly stringent measures against Moscow.
Since gaining independence in 1991, Estonia has faced challenges regarding citizenship for ethnic Russians. Hundreds of thousands were denied citizenship, leading many holders of "Estonian alien's passports" to opt for Russian citizenship while continuing to reside in Estonia.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to the Estonian government, Russian speakers account for 20% of the nation's population, which totals just under 1.4 million. Current Estonian laws allow only Estonian citizens to elect members of parliament, known as the Riigikogu. However, the 1992 constitution granted the right to vote in local elections to all permanent residents, a decision that controversially denied many ethnic Russians the right to citizenship.
In an interview with EER on Friday, Michal declared, “Russia is a security threat, and Russian citizens should not have a say in Estonian affairs, just like Belarusian citizens.” He further insisted that “Their right to vote must be suspended or taken away.”
As the Prime Minister and chairman of the Reform Party, which currently holds the most seats in the Riigikogu, he emphasized the party's willingness to amend legislation or even change the Constitution to ensure that Russian citizens are prohibited from participating in local elections. The Reform Party is part of a coalition with the Social Democratic Party and Estonia 200.
Earlier on Friday, SDE leader Lauri Laanemets proposed that Russians loyal to Estonia and opposed to the Moscow government should retain the right to vote in municipal elections. He indicated that the voting ban should only apply to those identified by the Estonian police as security threats, suggesting that under such criteria, only a third of Russians would be eligible to participate in elections.
The next municipal election in Estonia is set for October 2025.
Earlier this year, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova claimed that Estonia has become a “mini-totalitarian regime.”
Estonia has consistently supported Ukraine, providing over $500,000 in military aid and advocating for increasingly stringent measures against Moscow.
Since gaining independence in 1991, Estonia has faced challenges regarding citizenship for ethnic Russians. Hundreds of thousands were denied citizenship, leading many holders of "Estonian alien's passports" to opt for Russian citizenship while continuing to reside in Estonia.
Sophie Wagner contributed to this report for TROIB News
