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class="container"> <div class="section text_post_block"> <h2 align="center" class="section_title section_title_big">Republic of Estonia</h2> <div> <div align="center"> <table width="65%" border="0" cellspacing="12" cellpadding="12"> <tr> <td width="33%"><div align="center"><a href="Index.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/Information@2x.png" width="50" height="50"></a></div></td> <td width="34%"><div align="center"><a href="Economy.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/Economy@2x.png" width="50" height="50"></a></div></td> <td width="33%"><div align="center"><a href="Geo.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/Geography@2x.png" width="50" height="50"></a></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center"><a href="Index.html">Basic</a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="Economy.html">Economy</a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="Geo.html">Geography</a></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center"><a href="Gov.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/Government@2x.png" width="50" height="50"></a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="History1.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/History@2x.png" width="50" height="50"></a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href=MILITARY.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/Military@2x.png" width="50" height="50"></a></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center"><a href="Gov.html">Government</a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="History1.html">History</a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="MILITARY.html">Military</a></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center"><a href="Population.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/People@2x.png" width="50" height="50"></a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="Tourism.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/Tourism@2x.png" width="50" height="50"></a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="transportation.html"><img src="../NationByNationIcons/Transportation@2x.png" width="51" height="50"></a></div></td> </tr> <td><div align="center"><a href="Population.html">People</a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="Tourism.html">Tourism</a></div></td> <td><div align="center"><a href="transportation.html">Transportation</a></div></td> </table> </div> <div align="center"></div> <td width="445"> <p> </p> <h1 align="center">Government</h1> <div align="left"></div></td> </div> </div></div> <div class="container"> <p><br> <br> conventional long form: Republic of Estonia</p> <p>conventional short form: Estonia</p> <p>local long form: Eesti Vabariik</p> <p>local short form: Eesti</p> <p>former: Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic (while occupied by the USSR)</p> <p>etymology: the country name may derive from the Aesti, an ancient people who lived along the eastern Baltic Sea in the first centuries A.D.</p> <p><strong>Government type</strong><br> parliamentary republic</p> <p><strong>Capital</strong><br> name: Tallinn</p> <p>geographic coordinates: 59 26 N, 24 43 E</p> <p>time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)</p> <p>daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October</p> <p>etymology: the Estonian name is generally believed to be derived from "Taani-linn" (originally meaning "Danish castle", now "Danish town") after a stronghold built in the area by the Danes; it could also have come from "tali-linn" ("winter castle" or "winter town") or "talu-linn" ("home castle" or "home town")</p> <p><strong>Administrative divisions</strong><br> 15 urban municipalities (linnad, singular - linn), 64 rural municipalities (vallad, singular vald)</p> <p>urban municipalities: Haapsalu, Keila, Kohtla-Jarve, Loksa, Maardu, Narva, Narva-Joesuu, Paide, Parnu, Rakvere, Sillamae, Tallinn, Tartu, Viljandi, Voru</p> <p>rural municipalities: Alutaguse, Anija, Antsla, Elva, Haademeeste, Haljala, Harku, Hiiumaa, Jarva, Joelahtme, Jogeva, Johvi, Kadrina, Kambja, Kanepi, Kastre, Kehtna, Kihnu, Kiili, Kohila, Kose, Kuusalu, Laane-Harju, Laane-Nigula, Laaneranna, Luganuse, Luunja, Marjamaa, Muhu, Mulgi, Mustvee, Noo, Otepaa, Peipsiaare, Pohja-Parnumaa, Pohja-Sakala, Poltsamaa, Polva, Raasiku, Rae, Rakvere, Räpina, Rapla, Rouge, Ruhnu, Saarde, Saaremaa, Saku, Saue, Setomaa, Tapa, Tartu, Toila, Tori, Torva, Turi, Vaike-Maarja, Valga, Viimsi, Viljandi, Vinni, Viru-Nigula, Vormsi, Voru</p> <p>Independence<br> 24 February 1918 (from Soviet Russia); 20 August 1991 (declared from the Soviet Union); 6 September 1991 (recognized by the Soviet Union)</p> <p><strong>National holiday</strong><br> Independence Day, 24 February (1918); note - 24 February 1918 was the date Estonia declared its independence from Soviet Russia and established its statehood; 20 August 1991 was the date it declared its independence from the Soviet Union restoring its statehood</p> <p><strong>Constitution</strong><br> history: several previous; latest adopted 28 June 1992, entered into force 3 July 1992</p> <p>amendments: proposed by at least one-fifth of Parliament members or by the president of the republic; passage requires three readings of the proposed amendment and a simple majority vote in two successive memberships of Parliament; passage of amendments to the "General Provisions" and "Amendment of the Constitution" chapters requires at least three-fifths majority vote by Parliament to conduct a referendum and majority vote in a referendum; amended several times, last in 2015</p> <p><strong>Legal system</strong><br> civil law system</p> <p><strong>International law organization participation</strong><br> accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction</p> <p><strong>Citizenship</strong><br> citizenship by birth: no</p> <p>citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Estonia</p> <p>dual citizenship recognized: no</p> <p>residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years</p> <p><strong>Suffrage</strong><br> 18 years of age; universal; age 16 for local elections</p> <p><strong>Executive branch</strong><br> chief of state: President Alar KARIS (since 11 October 2021)</p> <p>head of government: Prime Minister Kaja KALLAS (since 26 January 2021)</p> <p>cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister, approved by Parliament</p> <p><strong>elections/appointments:</strong><br> president indirectly elected by Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure two-thirds of the votes after 3 rounds of balloting, then an electoral college consisting of Parliament members and local council members elects the president, choosing between the 2 candidates with the highest number of votes; election last held on 30-31 August 2021 (next to be held in 2026); in a first round of voting on 30 August, parliament failed to elect a president; in a second round on 31 August, the sole candidate, Alar KARIS, received 72 votes of 101 votes (there were 8 blank votes and 21 electors not present); KARIS was inaugurated on 11 October 2021; prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>election results:</strong><br> Alar KARIS elected president on 31 August 2021; parliament vote-Alar KARIS (independent) 72 of 101 votes; note – KARIS follows Kersti KALJULAID, who was Estonia's first female president; KALLAS is Estonia's first female prime minister<br> </p> <p><strong>Legislative branch</strong><br> description: unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open- list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)</p> <p>elections: last held on 3 March 2019 (next to be held in March 2023)</p> <p>election results: percent of vote by party - RE 28.9%, K 23.1%, EKRE 17.8%, Pro Patria 11.4%, SDE 9.8%, other 9%; seats by party - RE 34, K 26, EKRE 19, Pro Patria 12, SDE 10; composition - men 75, women 26, percent of women 25.7%</p> <p><strong>Judicial branch</strong><br> highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of 19 justices, including the chief justice, and organized into civil, criminal, administrative, and constitutional review chambers)</p> <p>judge selection and term of office: the chief justice is proposed by the president of the republic and appointed by the Riigikogu; other justices proposed by the chief justice and appointed by the Riigikogu; justices appointed for life</p> <p>subordinate courts: circuit (appellate) courts; administrative, county, city, and specialized courts</p> <p><strong>Political parties and leaders</strong><br> Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) or K [Juri RATAS]<br> Estonia 200 [Kristina KALLAS]<br> Estonian Conservative People's Party (Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond) or EKRE [Mart HELME]<br> Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) or RE [Kaja KALLAS]<br> Free Party or EV [Andres HERKEL]<br> Pro Patria (Isamaa) [Helir-Valdor SEEDER]<br> Social Democratic Party or SDE [Jevgeni OSSINOVSKI]</p> </div> </div> </div> <script async 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