News

Former EU commissioner enters Estonian presidential contest

Posted August 30, 2016 7:00 am

The Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) - Former prime minister and EU commissioner Siim Kallas has entered Estonia's presidential race for the second round of voting in the Baltic country's Parliament.

Kallas is running against former Education Minister Mailis Reps and former Chancellor of Justice Allar Joks in Tuesday's secret ballot.

Parliamentary Speaker Eiki Nestor withdrew his candidacy after the first round Monday, when none of the contenders got the 68 votes needed to win in the 101-seat assembly. If no winner emerges Tuesday, an electoral college will pick the new head of state in late September.

The winner will replace President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, who is stepping down in October after serving two five-year terms.

Estonia's ruling three-party coalition has been divided over who should become the next president, a mostly ceremonial post.

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers Nation and World News

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.