Riigikogu Toimetised Socio-political journal

Memories of the VII Riigikogu

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  Helle Ruusing

  Editor-in-Chief of Riigikogu Toimetised issues 11–28

In the early 2002, the Riigikogu secretariat organized a competition for preparatory school students – collecting memories from MPs in the 7th Riigikogu. Even though only 12 works were received, they proved that there was enough interesting material to go around.

The format chosen by the organizers (interview) and the themes (effects on home and school life, choice of political career and the nature of the work and daily life in Riigikogu) allowed one to contrast and compare interview material. I would hope that we can begin a larger project in the coming years that would serve as an archive of the history of independent Estonia.

This publication makes use of the work that was submitted. The published excerpts are the answers of the then-MPs to three groups of topics:

1. How did they become a politician, and what were their ties with voters like?
2. What were people’s relations like and work conditions in the parliament building?
3. How did work proceed in factions, committee and plenary session, and how were decisions formed?

Full article in Estonian