Estonia's Parliament Chooses Human Rights Ombudsman Ulle Madise as New President
The Riigikogu elected Ulle Madise, the country's human rights ombudsman, as Estonia's next president, making her the second woman to hold the post.
Estonia's parliament, the Riigikogu, voted to appoint constitutional lawyer Ulle Madise as the country's next president, marking her as the second female to occupy the largely symbolic office. Madise, aged 51, has been the nation's human rights ombudsman since 2015 and will serve a five-year term. She faced no competition after other hopefuls failed to gather sufficient parliamentary support for nomination.
The incumbent, Alar Karis, decided against seeking a second term, opening the way for Madise's unopposed election. Estonia, a Baltic state of 1.4 million people bordering Russia, is a vocal NATO and EU supporter of Ukraine and allocates 5.4 % of its GDP to defence this year. The presidential role is filled by a parliamentary vote rather than a popular election.
Why it matters
A new president underscores Estonia's political continuity and its prominent stance within NATO and the EU.
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