European Parliament election, 2009 (Estonia)

Estonia European Parliament election, 2009

7 June 2009

6 seats to the European Parliament

The European Parliament election of 2009 in Estonia was the election of the delegation from Estonia to the European Parliament in 2009.

The election day was 7 June 2009. Turnout was 43.9% – about 17.1% higher than during the previous election five years before. The turnout was also slightly above the European average of 42.94%.

Six seats were up for taking in this election: two of them were won by the Estonian Centre Party. Estonian Reform Party, Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica, Social Democratic Party and an independent candidate Indrek Tarand all won one seat each.

The election result was remarkable in that the independent candidate Indrek Tarand gathered the support of 102,460 voters, only 1,046 votes less than the winner of the election, Estonian Centre Party, surpassing the results of all other major and minor parties.

Another independent candidate, eurosceptical Martin Helme, surprised also in gaining 9,832 votes and thus surpassing one parliament party - People's Union of Estonia - and gaining only 1,019 less than the next best on the list, Estonian Greens.

The election was conducted using the D'Hondt method with closed lists. The success of independent candidates in this election has been attributed both to general disillusionment with major parties and use of closed lists which rendered voters incapable to cast a vote for specific candidates in party lists.

Results

 Summary of the results of Estonia's 7 June 2009 election to the European Parliament

← 2004 • 2009 • 2014 →
National party		European party	Main candidate	Votes	%	+/–	Seats	+/–
	Centre Party (KESK)	ELDR		103,506	26.07	8.57	2 / 6	1
	Indrek Tarand (TARAND)	None	Indrek Tarand	102,460	25.81	new	1 / 6	1
	Reform Party (RE)	ELDR		60,877	15.33	3.13	1 / 6	0
	Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL)	EPP		48,492	12.22	new	1 / 6	0
	Social Democratic Party (SDE)	PES		34,508	8.69	28.11	1 / 6	2
	Greens (EER)	EGP		10,851	2.73		0 / 6	0
	Martin Helme (HELME)	None	Martin Helme	9,832	2.48		0 / 6	0
	People's Union (RL)	AEN		8,860	2.23	5.82	0 / 6	0
	Dimitri Klenski (KLENSKI)	None	Dimitri Klenski	7,137	1.80		0 / 6	0
	Others (parties or candidates that won less than 1% of the vote)			10,459	2.63	—	0 / 6	0
Valid votes				396,982	99.45
Blank and invalid votes				2,199	0.55
Totals				399,181	100.00	—	6 / 6	0
Electorate (eligible voters) and voter turnout				909,628	43.88	17.05

Elected Members of the European Parliament

• Edgar Savisaar (Estonian Centre Party)
• Siiri Oviir (Estonian Centre Party)
• Indrek Tarand (independent)
• Kristiina Ojuland (Estonian Reform Party)
• Tunne Kelam (Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica)
• Ivari Padar (Social Democratic Party)

Edgar Savisaar renounced his mandate, leaving his seat to the third candidate in the party's list – his wife Vilja Savisaar. She was confirmed as a Member of the European Parliament on 7 July 2009.

External links

• Election results on the web site of the National Electoral Committee
• Results of the Estonian European Parliament Elections in 2009