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Standing as a candidate in 2023 Riigikogu elections
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.