With upcoming Riigikogu (Estonian parliament) elections approaching on March 5th, many voters living abroad might have difficulties understanding how Estonia's version of proportional representation (PR) system works. The system is especially hard to understand in countries that use a simple first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral systems, such as UK, Canada and USA.

In Estonia's Riigikogu election, usually taking place every four years in March, a total of 101 seats are up for grabs.

Estonia is split into 12 numbered electoral districts (see map below) reflecting population density.

Each electoral district carries a set number of mandates or seats between 5 and 13, depending on the size of the district, for a total of 101 seats at the Riigikogu.

Each party can present a list of candidates to fill all the mandates in all districts, plus an additional 2 per district, for a total of 125 candidates. Not all parties, especially smaller ones, present a maximum number of allowable candidates. In addition, any duly registered individuals can also run in elections, this year 11 independents have set up their candidacy.

During elections, a voter gives one vote to one candidate in his or her district. If a voter resides permanently or temporarily abroad, please see here on how to vote.

Once the vote has been counted, a simple quota is calculated.

Example: 10,000 voters cast their vote in the district. There are 5 mandates in this district. The simple quota is 10,000/5=2000 votes.

There are three ways to win the mandate.

1. Personal mandate
The candidate who receives votes equal to or more than the simple quota of the district (regardless of whether he or she is an independent or a party candidate) shall be elected. There are no other requirements. If only some or none of the candidates achieved personal mandate, the district mandate is used.

2. District mandates
Only the parties which received at least 5% of the valid votes at the national level shall participate in the distribution of district mandates. This is called an electoral threshold. The votes cast for the candidates of a party on the district level are added up and the total is compared to the simple quota. The party shall receive as many mandates as many times as the number of the summed up votes exceed the simple quota.

If a party has already received personal mandates in a district, these are subtracted from the number of district mandates.

Example: A simple quota is 2000. A party received 5000 votes. The party thus has a right to 2 district mandates, as 5000/2000=2.5. But if the party has already received one personal mandate, it has the right to only one additional district mandate.

In the district list of the party, the candidates are ranked according to the votes received. The candidate who received the greatest number of votes shall be elected, but the number of votes must be at least 10% of the simple quota.

Example: If the simple quota is 2000, the candidate elected under the district mandate must receive at least 200 votes.

3. Compensation mandates
Compensation mandates are distributed based on votes received by a party nationwide rather than in that district, and are distributed to candidates who have not already won a seat.

After the mandates are distributed in the districts, the undistributed mandates are divided nationally, using the modified d’Hondt distribution method. The method named after the Belgian mathematician allows dividing the mandates among the lists as proportionally as possible, so that even parties with less votes can receive a mandate.

Only the parties which received at least 5% of the valid votes nationally shall participate in the distribution of compensation mandates.

The compensation mandates are distributed according to the party’s national list of candidates. The compensation mandate shall be given to the candidate who is further up the list and who has received the number of votes totaling at least 5% of the simple quota of the district. While distributing the mandates, the candidates who have already received a personal or a district mandate shall be passed.

Example: If the simple quota is 2000, the candidate elected under the compensation mandate must receive at least 5% of the votes, i.e. 100 votes.

This PR system makes it very difficult for any one party to win a majority of seats (51) and govern unhindered for four years, therefor parties make coalitions in order to pass laws. Coalitions typically do not survive through the full election cycle of four years, and usually there will be two (sometime three) governing coalitions within the four year cycle.

Any MPs promoted to ministerial posts or to the position of Riigikogu speaker vacate their seat, and the next MP on the ordered lists who had not won a seat, usually, but not always, from the same party, then takes their place.

Should the original incumbent return to the Riigikogu after ceasing to be a government minister for any reason, the alternate MP must make way for them.

For more information, please see here: https://www.valimised.ee/en

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