Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Legislation

Independent candidate Indrek Tarand, 45, secured a seat for himself also with more than 100,000 votes, narrowly trailing the winner, reports BNS.

One seat went to the Reform Party, Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL) and Social Democrats each. Tunne Kelam is expected to stay on as the the IRL deputy in the Europarliament, while former Foreign Minister Kristiina Ojuland and former Finance Minister Ivari Padar are to take the seats won by Reform and Social Democrats, respectively.

According to figures available from the national election commission shortly before 1 a.m. on Monday, the Center Party received 103,283 votes, Tarand 102,462 votes, Reform 60,866 votes, IRL 48,450 votes and Social Democrats 34,534 votes.

According to the preliminary figures, 392,494 people or 43.2% of all voters came to the polls, compared with the European average turnout rate of 43.39 in these elections.

Online voters numbered 58,669.

The turnout was highest in the capital city Tallinn at 53.7%. In the Harju County which includes Tallinn the turnout was 48%, in the northeastern largely Russian-populated East-Viru County 45.5% and in Tartu, the second-largest city, 40.2%.

The lowest activity was recorded in the island of Saaremaa where 32.2% of voters came to the polls. In the island county of Hiiumaa and the southern Voru County turnout of 33.9% was recorded.

In the previous European polls five years ago 233,450 people or 26.8% of all voters took part.

Neither the central election authority nor the police received any reports about serious violations or incidents during Sunday's voting.

In the previous elections to the European Parliament in 2004, the Social Democratic Party received 85,443 votes and landed half of Estonia's six seats. Center received 40,715 votes; Reform 28,377 votes and Pro Patria Union, one of the two parties that now make up the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union, 24,383 seats, getting one seat each.

In the 2004 polls voter turnout was 26.8%.