Elections in the 1990s in Estonia
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Vice-Director of Chancellery of the Riigikogu
The 1990’s brought not only six elections, but also increasingly acute problems that were new to Estonian political life.
Elections held during that decade were characterised by an increase in turnout (more than 700,000 citizens and 200,000 non-citizens), although voter activity did not increase: 10% less in elections to the Riigikogu and around the same in local government elections. At the same time the number of voters remained regionally volatile, which increased the difference of mandates calculated in the elections to the Riigikogu for electoral counties.
An analysis of election results showed that the percentage of mandates won in electoral counties increased at the expense of compensatory mandates. At the same time there was a decrease in the number of votes cast for candidates who were unsuccessful in their bid for the Riigikogu. Also the number of candidates elected to the Riigikogu with a small number of votes fell. For more information, see the Internet website of the Estonian National Electoral Committee at: http://www.vvk.ee/engindex.html.