The President of Estonia, Alar Karis, has approved a bill amending the country’s Constitution, which states that citizens of third countries, including Russians and Belarusians, will no longer have the right to vote in local elections. This decision also affects stateless individuals, including holders of gray passports, who reside in Estonia.
This is reported by Kyiv24
According to the new amendments, the last opportunity for these individuals to participate in elections will be on October 19, 2025. During the signing of the law, the president emphasized that this decision has “very serious consequences,” which he believes should have been considered in advance.
Consequences of the New Legislation
Karis expressed hope that the parliament will closely monitor the situation to ensure that the new law does not lead to the destabilization of Estonia’s internal peace. He stressed the importance of ensuring that those who have lost their voting rights do not feel alienated from public life or perceived as a threat.
Population Statistics
According to data from the Estonian Ministry of Internal Affairs, as of November 1, 2024, there were 78,623 citizens of Russia, 2,667 citizens of Belarus, and 60,517 stateless individuals with valid residence permits living in the country. The total population of Estonia exceeds 1.3 million people.