Stars the favourites at EU elections

Photo: Peeter Langovits / Postimees

At European elections, the tiny electoral districts are replaced by a single big one – Estonia, in its entirety. This shines limelight on the star-politicians, the countrywide vote-grabbers. 

The appearance of Centre Party chairman Edgar Savisaar into the EU elections list is explained by the man being his party’s votes’ magnet. He is the 100,000 calibre guy. With that, the catch of the remaining 11 people in the list loses importance. Never has Mr Savisaar shown deep interest towards issues European – no problem, as the elections also serve as barometer for domestic policy. 

In the elections of 2009, Mr Savisaar also featured. Almost, the party pocketed three seats out of six. After the elections, no one would be surprised if Mr Savisaar repeated his last move: opting to remain Mayor of Tallinn instead of turning into a MEP.

From Reform Party point of view, Siim Kallas’ decision not to run is of the same weight as, for Centre Party, the placing of Mr Savisaar into the list. Meaning that the party’s best-known votes’ magnet will probably be Urmas Paet, somewhat countered by Kaja Kallas.

Probably, the decision for Siim Kallas to abstain didn’t come easy. Hardly would that have happened, if squirrels weren’t facing the issue of who will lead the party into the 2015 Riigikogu elections, as prime minister. What comes into play, here, is that if Kallas the Commissioner is not running for European Parliament, he can keep his seat till late autumn when the new European Commission is set in office. Having been elected into European Parliament, a temporary replacement should have been found for Mr Kallas.

Compared to Reform and Centre, much less is known about IRL and soc dems EU election lists. With soc dems, however, hardly can their top names be expected not to run.

As revealed by both EU elections so far held in Estonia, the few popular candidates do have a decisive impact on results. In 2004, Toomas Hendrik Ilves garnered 76,120 votes in soc dems list – 32 per cent of all votes cast – pulling two other soc dem candidates along into Brussels.

In 2009, when closed lists were used, Indrek Tarand took 102,460 votes – 25 per cent of total tally. Had Mr Tarand been able to compile a list of candidates, he could have pulled in an extra guy or gal.

Mr Tarand having run as a single candidate, the remaining seats were divided between the lists of other parties; by the skin of teeth, Centre Party lost its third seat.

For the well informed voter, at least, it also matters how strong as EU specialists our candidates are known. Both vote magnets, up to now – Mr Ilves and Mr Tarand – came from foreign ministry background. With them, EU competency was granted.

The single candidate emphasis is facilitated by the lists being limited – 12 candidates max – and only six MEPs elected from Estonia.

A marked difference with Riigikogu and local elections being that the candidates need not be citizens of Estonia – any EU state would do. So far, no foreigners have tried this here; in principle, however, there are no obstacles.

Last year, the media mentioned possibility of serial Italian prime minister and multi-billionaire Silvio Berlusconi running in Estonia, having been deprived from the option at home by court judgement.

By now, Riigikogu has eliminated the possibility even in theory. Instead of the earlier requirement that an EU citizen running must have the right to vote in home state, Estonian now demands that the person also be entitled to run in home country.

Elsewhere in Europe, however, people have indeed run abroad. Ari Vatanen, the famed Finnish rally racer, has represented France in European Parliament.

What are open and closed lists?

Open list

•    A voter may choose between all candidates.

•    Of a party list, the candidates with most votes will be elected.

•    In Estonia, this has been the procedure with most elections incl. this year’s EU elections.

Closed list

•    A voter can only choose between parties and single candidates.

•    The candidates with higher ranking in (party) list will be elected.

•    In Estonia, closed lists were used at the last EU elections.