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Estonian presidential runoff slated Tuesday after inconclusive vote

Xinhua, August 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

Estonian lawmakers failed to elect the country's next president Monday, as none of the contenders received at least 68 of the 101 votes necessary to win the election in the first round, local media reported.

A second and possibly also a third round of voting will take place on Aug. 30.

Parliament speaker Eiki Nestor of the Social Democratic Party received 40 votes in the first round, former education minister Mailis Reps of the Center Party got 26 votes and 24 MPs voted for former chancellor of justice Allar Joks of Pro Patria and Res Publica Union.

Since there are six political parties represented in the Estonian parliament, it was expected that the first round of the election would not produce a winner.

It is thought that Estonia's ex-premier and former EU commissioner Siim Kallas might join the presidential race in the runoff on Tuesday.

Although Kallas might emerge as one of the leading candidates, his chances are not quite clear because he does not have a unanimous support of his Reform Party.

Political observers predict that electing Estonia's next president might prove difficult in the second and third round of voting.

If no candidate receives the required 68 votes in the third round, the parliament speaker will convene an electoral body consisting of all 101 members of the parliament and 234 representatives of local government councils who will then have to elect the president.

Estonia's outgoing President Toomas Hendrik Ilves has spent two five-year terms in office and is due to stand down in October.

Ilves has earned praise for his job performance, especially for his ability to represent Estonia in foreign countries, which has been largely put down to his language skills, education in psychology and work experience in journalism. Endit