1990 Estonian Supreme Soviet election

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Elections to the Supreme Soviet were held in the Estonian SSR on 18 March 1990,[1] the first free parliamentary election in Estonia since 1932. A total of 105 deputies were elected, of which four were from military districts. Altogether 392 candidates ran for seats in the Soviet. The opposition pro-independence Popular Front won the plurality of the seats. The anti-independence "Joint Council of Work Collectives", representing mostly the Russian-speaking minority in Estonia, as well as the reformed communists, who favored independence but close relations with the USSR and were supported by Indrek Toome,[2] who was running under the Free Estonia banner,[3] both gained around 25 seats. During its first session, the new Supreme Soviet elected the former Communist Party member Arnold Rüütel as its chairman, allowing him to stay as the nominal leader of Estonia (real powers mostly lay with the prime minister).

The elected parliament was responsible for some of the most important decisions in the modern Estonian history, such as the declaration of a period of restoring independence from the Soviet Union on 30 March 1990, adopted by a vote of 73 for to 0 against, with 27 MPs boycotting the vote. It also adopted the new Constitution of the Republic of Estonia.

Voting was held on the same day as an election in the Latvian SSR.

Electoral system[]

Members of the Supreme Soviet were elected in 42 single-member or multi-member constituencies. In the former constituencies deputies were elected by first-past-the-post vote, while in the latter deputies were elected by single transferable vote.[4]

The local elections three months earlier, in December 1989, were also held under STV, and served as a dress rehearsal[5] with the electoral law finally enacted on 4 December 1989.[6]

The choice of STV was the result of a debate on voting systems led by the influential Estonian political scientist and émigré Rein Taagepera, who penned articles in Edasi in 1988, published Seats and Votes in 1989, and gave conferences on the topic. STV was not, however, Taagepera's own preference, but was rather the result of a consensus driven by Peet Kask between the outgoing Communist local officials, who sought a system that favored their popular names over their unpopular party brand, and the principle of proportional representation favored by the new parties.[5]

Apportionment[]

The seats allocated were distributed as such:[6]

Type of district Number Total members Districts
5-seat districts 3 15 1 - Tallinn
9 - Kohtla-Järve
36 - Rakvere
4-seat districts 5 20 5 - Tallinn
6 - Tallinn
27 - Jõgeva
41 - Viljandi
42 - Võru
3-seat districts 13 39 2, 7, 8 - Tallinn
21, 22 - Tartu
23 - Haapsalu
25 - Harju
28 - Kingissep
29 - Kohtla-Järve
30 - Paide
31 - Polva
37 - Rapla
40 - Valga
2-seat districts 6 12 4 - Tallinn
15 - Pärnu
24 - Harju
26 - Hiiumaa
38 - Tartu
39 - Tartu
1-seat districts 15 15 3 - Tallinn
10, 11, 12, 13, 14 - Narva
16, 17 - Pärnu
18, 19, 20 - Sillamäe
32, 33, 34, 35 - Pärnu
Red Army 4 4
Total 46 105
List of districts
  • 1 - Tallinn (5)
  • 2 - Tallinn (3)
  • 3 - Tallinn (1)
  • 4 - Tallinn (2)
  • 5 - Tallinn (4)
  • 6 - Tallinn (4)
  • 7 - Tallinn (3)
  • 8 - Tallinn (3)
  • 9 - Kohtla-Järve (5)
  • 10 - Narva (1)
  • 11 - Narva (1)
  • 12 - Narva (1)
  • 13 - Narva (1)
  • 14 - Narva (1)
  • 15 - Pärnu (2)
  • 16 - Pärnu (1)
  • 17 - Pärnu (1)
  • 18 - Sillamäe (1)
  • 19 - Sillamäe (1)
  • 20 - Sillamäe (1)
  • 21 - Tartu (3)
  • 22 - Tartu (3)
  • 23 - Haapsalu (3)
  • 24 - Harju (2)
  • 25 - Harju (3)
  • 26 - Hiiumaa (2)
  • 27 - Jõgeva (4)
  • 28 - Kingissep (3)
  • 29 - Kohtla-Järve (3)
  • 30 - Paide (3)
  • 31 - Polva (3)
  • 32 - Pärnu (1)
  • 33 - Pärnu (1)
  • 34 - Pärnu (1)
  • 35 - Pärnu (1)
  • 36 - Rakvere (5)
  • 37 - Rapla (3)
  • 38 - Tartu (2)
  • 39 - Tartu (2)
  • 40 - Valga (3)
  • 41 - Viljandi (4)
  • 42 - Võru (4)

Results[]

PartyVotes%Seats
Popular Front of Estonia43
Communist Party–27
25
Independents10
Total105
Total votes911,203–
Registered voters/turnout1,164,60378.24
Source: Nohlen & Stöver, VVK[7]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p574 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
  2. ^ Payerhin, Marek (2016-09-02). Nordic, Central, and Southeastern Europe 2016-2017. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 135. ISBN 9781475828979.
  3. ^ Silver, Brian D.; Titma, Mikk (1996). "Support for an Independent Estonia". International Journal of Sociology. 26 (2): 3–24. doi:10.1080/15579336.1996.11770136. JSTOR 20628474.
  4. ^ Eesti NSV / Eesti Vabariigi Ülemnõukogu XII koosseis. Eesti Rahvusraamatukogu, 29.03.1990–29.09.1992. Tallinn, 2013
  5. ^ a b Grofman, Bernard; Mikkel, Evald; Taagepera, Rein (1999). "Electoral systems change in Estonia, 1989–1993". Journal of Baltic Studies. 30: 227–249. doi:10.1080/01629779900000081.
  6. ^ a b Núñez, Lidia; Jaakson, Lauri. "Electoral System Change in Europe since 1945: Estonia" (PDF). Electoral System Change in Europe since 1945.
  7. ^ "Elections and Referendums in Estonia 1989-1999". Estonian National Electoral Committee. 2008-11-17.
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