Estonia's Liberals secure victory

Tallinn, Estonia

Prime Minister Andrus Ansip's Reform Party exceeded all expectation, when it won Estonia's Parliamentary election with the highest returns since its birth 13 years ago. It gained an extra 10% of the votes as compared to previous outcomes in 2003. The Reform Party had 27.8 (31 seats) percent of the votes, ahead of the Center Party led by Edgar Savisaar with 26.1 percent (29 seats), Homeland- Res Publica Union 17.8% (19 seats) Social Democrats 10.7% (10 seats) and the People's Union and the Greens with 7 and 6 seats respectively. Ansip pledged to continue lowering Estonia's renowned flat tax and preserve the market-friendly policies credited for helping the country achieve impressive growth. About 61 percent of the 895,000 registered voters turned out at the polls, according to preliminary figures. The election was the world's first Parliamentary ballot to allow internet voting.

in LI News, Issue 54. (Newsletter da Internacional Liberal)