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 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 2 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - Center Party of Estonia
25.4%, Res Publica 24.6%, Estonian Reform Party 17.7%, Estonian
People's Union 13%, Pro Patria Union (Fatherland League) 7.3%
People's Party Moodukad 7%; seats by party - Res Publica 26, Center
Party 20, Reform Party 19, Estonian People's Union 13, Pro Patria
Union 7, Social Democrats (formerly People's Party Moodukad) 6,
non-affiliated (Social Liberals and independents) 10

Judicial branch:
National Court (chairman appointed by Parliament for life)

Political parties and leaders:
Center Party of Estonia (Keskerakond) [Edgar SAVISAAR, chairman];
Estonian People's Union (Rahvaliit) [Villu REILJAN, chairman];
Estonian Reform Party (Reformierakond) [Andrus ANSIP]; Estonian
United Russian People's Party or EUVRP [Yevgeniy TOMBERG, chairman];
Social Democratic Party (formerly People's Party Moodukad or
Moderates) [Ivari PADAR, chairman]; Social Liberals (group of eight
parliamentarians, former Center Party members) [Peeter KREITZBERG];
Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica (Isamaa je Res Publica Liit)
[Tonis LUKAS and Taavi VESKIMAGI, co-chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation: