Estonia has turned to non-EU citizens to vote in local elections, targeting the country’s Russian and Belarusian populations.
The Estonian parliament voted in favor of a corresponding constitutional amendment on Wednesday, which made the proposal in light of the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.
The regulations must now be formally approved by President Alar Karis.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, nearly 80,000 Russians and about 2,700 Belarusian citizens have residence permits in Estonia.
Prime Minister Kristen Michal described the decision as a “joint victory” and a “very basic decision.”
He wrote on X: “In our local life, decisions are not made by citizens of the invader’s country, but in our own country, we are decision makers.
Estonia has a border with Russia and Russian minorities in the Baltic state, accounting for about a quarter of its 1.2 million inhabitants.
The next local election in Estonia is scheduled to take place on October 19.
