Estonian citizen may stand as a candidate in the elections to the Riigikogu if:

• they have attained twenty-one years of age by the last day for the registration of candidates (24 January 2023);
• they have not been divested of their active legal capacity with regard to the right to vote;
• they are not in active service in the Defence Forces;
• they have not been convicted of a criminal offence by a court and are not serving a prison sentence.

Political parties that have been entered in the non-profit associations and foundations register not later than 90 days before the election day (by 2 December 2022 at the latest) and independent candidates can participate in the elections.

A person may stand as a candidate in only one place, i.e. it is not allowed to stand as a candidate simultaneously in several electoral districts or in the lists of candidates of several political parties.

Important dates

When the President of the Republic declares the elections of the Riigikogu by a resolution (on 4 December 2022 at the latest), the National Electoral Committee will distribute the mandates among the electoral districts.

The nomination of candidates begins on 1 December 2022 and ends on 19 January 2023 at 6 p.m.

The State Electoral Office receives the candidate documents on paper during working days from 1 December 2022 until 18 January 2023 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., on 23 December 2022 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and on 19 January 2023 from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Correction of errors in the documents for standing as a candidate ends on 21 January at 6 p.m.

The National Electoral Committee will have to register the duly nominated candidates by 24 January 2023 at the latest.

A candidate may submit a written application to decline to stand as a candidate within three days after the registration of candidates.

Political parties

The documents for standing as candidates are delivered to the State Electoral Office by authorised representatives of political parties. A political party may authorise up to two persons to represent the party.

A political party submits a written notice which sets out the names, personal identification codes, addresses and contact numbers of the authorised representatives of the political party. The notice is signed by a person entitled to represent the political party pursuant to the Non-profit Associations Act or the articles of association of the political party.

A political party submits the following documents for standing as candidates:

• an application to stand as a candidate for each candidate;
• the lists of candidates in electoral districts;
• the national list of candidates;
• a copy of the payment order certifying the payment of the deposit;
• an application for the registration of candidates.

The number of candidates in a list may exceed the number of mandates in the electoral district by up to two candidates. All the authorised representatives of a political party sign the lists of candidates in electoral districts and the national list of candidates.

Independent candidates

Any person who has the right to stand as a candidate may nominate themselves as an independent candidate and perform the acts necessary for registration. Any person who has the right to vote in a relevant rural municipality or city may nominate another person as an independent candidate and perform the acts necessary for registration on the basis of a corresponding power of attorney.

Deposit

Before nominating candidates, a political party and an independent candidate pay a deposit to the current account of the Ministry of Finance. The amount of deposit is 654 euro for each candidate. If a political party submits the largest permitted number of candidates (125) in all electoral districts, 81,750 euro will have to be paid as a deposit.

The deposit will be paid as follows:

Recipient: Ministry of Finance

Select a current account:

• EE891010220034796011 SEB Bank
• EE777700771003813400 LHV Bank
• EE932200221023778606 Swedbank

Reference number: 3100057934 (reference number is mandatory)

Explanation: State Electoral Office, deposit and name of the person for whom the deposit is paid.