The State - Structure and Symbols

Constitution

The Constitution of Estonia came into force in 1992 and is, in a number of ways, a compilation of aspects of Estonia's previous constitutions. It has continued the democratic spirit of the 1920 Constitution, with some added mechanisms to maintain the balance of power of the state.
Constitution

Parliament (Riigikogu)

The legislative body in which the supreme power of the state is vested is the Parliament which is elected by proportional representation. It has 101 members and is elected for a period of four years.
Parliament

Government

The executive power of the state - the Government is responsible to the Parliament.

Appointment to the office of the Prime Minister and withdrawal of the Government lies within the competence of the Parliament. The Government also enjoys a stabilising guarantee - the right to dismiss the Parliament with the consent of the President and call new elections if the Parliament expresses no confidence in the Government. This has, on several occasions, proved a balancing factor in situations where the wish to dismiss the Government has not been well-founded.
Government

President

The President has mainly representative functions, although he still retains a number of executive powers. The President may veto a parliamentary bill and have it sent back for revision, and his signature is required when appointing the Ministers of the Government. He is also empowered to present the Parliament with the names of several higher officials. The President is also the supreme commander of the armed forces.

The President is elected for a 5-year term by the Parliament. If a sufficient majority of votes is not forthcoming, he is elected by an electoral college which consists of representatives of local governments and members of the Parliament.
President