Estonia’s Parliament, the Riigikogu, has elected constitutional lawyer Ülle Madise as the country’s seventh President. At 51, she becomes the second woman to hold Estonia’s largely ceremonial presidency, after Kersti Kaljulaid.
Madise will serve a five-year term, beginning with her oath of office on 12 October 2026. She succeeds Alar Karis, who did not seek a second term.
Election Highlights
- Votes: 71 of the 78 participating MPs voted for Madise.
- Required majority: 68 votes, representing the required two-thirds majority.
- Candidate: She was unopposed, as no rival candidate secured sufficient parliamentary support to register.
- Profile: A broadly supported, non-partisan constitutional lawyer and legal scholar.
- Previous position: She has served as Estonia’s Chancellor of Justice (human rights ombudsman) since 2015.
About Estonia
| Category | Details |
| Capital | Tallinn |
| Population | About 1.4 million |
| Official language | Estonian |
| Currency | Euro (€) |
| Government | Parliamentary republic |
| Location | Baltic region of Europe |
Estonia borders Russia to the east and Latvia to the south, while the Gulf of Finland lies to its north and the Baltic Sea to its west. The country has over 2,000 islands and islets, with Saaremaa and Hiiumaa being the largest. Nearly half of Estonia is forested, and its landscape also contains extensive bogs.
Strategic Importance
Estonia is a strong supporter of Ukraine and a prominent critic of Moscow within both NATO and the European Union. It is also among the leading defence spenders in these alliances, allocating 5.4% of GDP to defence in 2026.