citizens

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Toomas Hendrik ILVES (since 9 October 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Andrus ANSIP (since 12 April 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister,
approved by Parliament
elections: president elected by Parliament for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); if a candidate does not secure
two-thirds of the votes after three rounds of balloting in the
Parliament, then an electoral assembly (made up of Parliament plus
members of local governments) elects the president, choosing between
the two candidates with the largest percentage of votes; election
last held 23 September 2006 (next to be held in the fall of 2011);
prime minister nominated by the president and approved by Parliament
election results: Toomas Hendrik ILVES elected president on 23
September 2006 by a 345-member electoral assembly; ILVES received
174 votes to incumbent Arnold RUUTEL's 162; remaining 9 ballots left
blank or invalid

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Riigikogu (101 seats; members are elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 4 March 2007 (next to be held in March 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - Estonian Reform Party
27.8%, Center Party of Estonia 26.1%, Union of Pro Patria and Res
Publica 17.9%, Social Democratic Party 10.6%, Estonian Greens 7.1%,
Estonian People's Union 7.1%, other 5%; seats by party - Estonian
Reform Party 31, Center Party 29, Union of Pro Patria and Res
Publica 19, Social Democratic Party 10, Estonian Greens 6, Estonian
People's Union 6

Judicial branch:

National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Political parties and leaders:

Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR]; Estonian
Greens (Rohelised) [Marek STRANDBERG]; Estonian People's Union
(Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN]; Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond)
[Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian United Russian People's Party or EUVRP
[Yevgeniy TOMBERG]; Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party
Moodukad or Moderates) [Ivari PADAR]; Union of Pro Patria and Res
Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit) [Mart LAAR]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Nochnoy Dozor/Night Watch anti-fascist movement (leader Alexander
KOROBOV)

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BA, BIS, CBSS, CE, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS,