On Wednesday, 2nd of September 2026, the Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu) elected Ülle Madise as the next President of Estonia. She ran as an independent candidate and secured 71 votes out of the required 68. Madise will be the second woman to hold the Estonian presidency, following Kersti Kaljulaid who left office in 2021. Madise succeeds Alar Karis, who chose not to seek a second term.
So who is Ülle Madise?
Ülle Madise is a prominent Estonian lawyer and legal scholar who has served as the Chancellor of Justice since 2015. She was born in Tartu in 1974 and studied law at the University of Tartu. Her father, Tõnu Anton, is a former member of the Supreme Court of Estonia and signatory of the ratification of the Estonian restoration of Independence. President-elect Ülle Madise holds core beliefs deeply rooted in constitutional law, institutional trust, individual liberty, and national identity.
Ülle Madise is scheduled to officially take office on 12 October 2026 where she will then become the seventh President of the Republic of Estonia.
