Estonia's Parliament Elects Ülle Madise as Next President

Estonia's parliament, the Riigikogu, elected 51-year-old lawyer Ülle Madise as the country's next president on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.

Madise, who has served as Chancellor of Justice for 11 consecutive years, secured 71 votes in a secret ballot, exceeding the required two-thirds majority of 68 votes in the 101-seat Riigikogu. Her election in the first round avoided further parliamentary rounds or the process moving to an electoral body. Madise will formally assume the presidency on October 12, 2026, taking the oath of office for a five-year term.

She becomes Estonia's seventh president and the second female head of state, succeeding Alar Karis, who did not seek a second term. Madise ran unopposed, with her candidacy formally submitted by 75 members of the Riigikogu from four parties: Reform, Eesti 200, SDE, and Isamaa. Before the vote, Madise addressed MPs, speaking about the importance of trust between citizens and public institutions.

She stated that Estonia's independence is an opportunity and obligation to make the best possible decisions, emphasizing the need to ensure Estonia is the best place to live, raise children, and grow old. In January 2015, Madise was chosen as Estonia's first female chancellor of justice. Her career in state administration spans 30 years, including heading legislative policy at the Ministry of Justice, where she helped introduce Estonia's online voting system.

She also served as legal adviser to President Toomas Hendrik Ilves starting in 2009. The Supreme Court of Estonia rejected a challenge to Madise's presidential candidacy on September 1, 2026, ruling she did not have to resign as justice chancellor before being nominated. The court affirmed that the justice chancellor must remain independent in their work and public statements while campaigning.