President Kersti Kaljulaid said that Estonians will to cooperate has shined through during the outgoing COVID-19 year. The president told Priit Kuusk in an end of the year interview on ETV about overcoming the economic crisis, plans regarding her OECD candidacy, next year s presidential elections and Christmas that will come differently this year.
The year 2020. Could you sum it up in a single word?
I believe the year has held a lot that is beautiful, mainly the Estonian people s will to work together and help out.
It is beyond question that the year has been defined mostly by COVID-19. We have had no choice but to get used to it. We are sitting in an empty conference hall that in some ways works to symbolize the year: empty hotels and dark restaurants. That is the reality we are living today.
Chairman of junior coalition partner Isamaa Helir-Valdor Seeder told a special episode of ERR s Otse uudistemajast webcast that if it proves impossible to convince the opposition to drop stalling tactics, amending the Riigikogu Rules and Procedures Act needs to be considered.
Host Toomas Sildam asked Seeder whether he finds asking the people if marriage needs to remain a union between a man and a woman is pointless. A lot of European countries have held referendums on the topic of marriage. It has been important to people everywhere and Estonia is no exception. We have no reason to halt the marriage referendum or the work of the Riigikogu, Seeder said.
Analytics, Democracy , Demography, Estonia, Legislation
Estonian parlt to continue handling of draft resolution on marriage referendum
BC, Tallinn, 14.12.2020.
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The Estonian parliament did not support a proposal by the opposition to reject the draft resolution on holding a referendum on the definition of marriage on December 14th, informs LETA/BNS.
The proposal submitted by the opposition Reform Party and Social Democratic Party (SDE) to reject the draft was voted out with 48 votes for and 51 against.
The parliament is thus to continue the handling of the of the draft resolution and the first reading thereof was concluded.
Three MPs of the coalition
The Riigikogu did not support a proposal by the opposition to reject the marriage referendum bill on Monday and the draft passed its first reading after a four-hour debate.
The proposal submitted by the opposition Reform Party and Social Democratic Party (SDE) to reject the bill was voted down with 48 votes for and 51 against.
Isamaa MPs Siim Kiisler, Üllar Saaremäe and Viktoria Ladõnskaja-Kubits voted in favor of rejecting the bill and Isamaa member Mihhail Lotman abstained.
Imre Sooäär, (Center) who has been critical of the marriage referendum, voted against the rejection of the bill. Mihhail Korb (Center) abstained.