1999 Estonian parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Estonia on 7 March 1999.[1] The elections proved disastrous for the ruling Estonian Coalition Party, which won only seven seats together with two of its smaller allies. Following the elections, a coalition government was formed by Mart Laar of the Pro Patria Union, including the Reform Party and the Moderates.[2] It remained in office until Laar resigned in December 2001, after the Reform Party had left the same governing coalition in Tallinn municipality, making opposition leader Edgar Savisaar new Mayor of Tallinn. The Reform Party and the Estonian Centre Party then formed a coalition government that lasted until the 2003 elections.

1999 Estonian parliamentary election
7 March 1999
101 seats in the Riigikogu
51 seats were needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Edgar Savisaar Mart Laar
Party Centre Pro Patria Union
Last election 16 seats 8 seats
Seats won 28 18
Seat change 12 10
Popular vote 113,378 77,917
Percentage 23.4% 16.1%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Siim Kallas Andres Tarand
Party Reform Moderates
Last election 19 seats 6 seats
Seats won 18 17
Seat change 1 11
Popular vote 77,088 73,630
Percentage 15.9% 15.2%
Prime Minister before election

Mart Siimann
Coalition Party

 Elected Prime Minister

Mart Laar
Pro Patria Union

Electoral system

The threshold was 5% of the national vote. Electoral cartels were not allowed any more, but it didn't prevent a party from including members of another party in its list.

Results
Party Votes % Seats +/–
Estonian Centre Party113,37823.428+12
Pro Patria Union77,91716.118+10
Estonian Reform Party77,08815.918–1
Moderates [a]73,63015.217+11
Estonian Coalition Party [b]36,6927.67–
Estonian Country People's Union35,2047.37–
Estonian United People's Party [c]29.6826.16–
Estonian Christian People's Party11,7452.40New
Russian Party in Estonia9,8252.00–
Estonian Blue Party7,7451.600
Farmers' Assembly2,4210.50–
Progress Party1,8540.40New
Independents7,0581.500
Invalid/blank votes8,117–––
Total492,3561001010
Registered voters/turnout857,27057.4––
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

a The Moderates' list included representatives of the Estonian People's Party and the People's Party of Republicans and Conservatives.

b The Estonian Coalition Party list included members of the Estonian Country Union and the Party of Estonian Pensioners and Families.

c The Estonian United People's Party included members of the Estonian Social Democratic Labour Party and the Russian Unity Party.

References
  1. Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p574 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. Estonia: Parliamentary Chamber: Riigikogu: Elections held in 1999 Inter-Parliamentary Union


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