No. 6

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Pay and Benefits Packages for Members of Parliament

17 December 2002

Studies

RiTo No. 6, 2002

  • Kai Priks

    Adviser to the Department of Economic and Social Information, Chancellery of the Riigikogu

From time to time, the topic of salary and employment benefits for members of parliament crops up, producing widespread discussion among the populace and providing occasion to review the laws. The law on compensation of MPs has been amended on four occasions: in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2001.

The present study was conducted in connection with bills sponsored by the faction Mõõdukad (1183 SE), the People’s Union (1184 SE) and Lauri Vahtre (1193 SE) in October. The purpose of the study was to provide an international comparison of salary levels and benefits packages, and also compare MPs’ salaries to the average.

In summary, we can say that parliamentary work is paid work in all the countries looked at, even in cases when the MP continues previous employment. The system of compensation varies from country to country in terms of transparency. Every individual member’s salary and other perquisites can vary within a legislature. Salary levels depend on standard of living, traditions and the precedence that legislators’ work takes in the country.

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