According to theConstitution of Estonia (Estonian:Põhiseadus),[1] the supreme power of the state is vested in the people. The people exercise their supreme power of the state on the elections of the Riigikogu through citizens who have the right to vote.[2] The supremejudicial power is vested in theSupreme Court orRiigikohus, with 17 justices. The Chief Justice is appointed by the parliament for nine years on nomination by the president.
The officialHead of State is thePresident of Estonia, who givesassent to the laws passed byRiigikogu, also having the right ofsending them back and proposing new laws. The president, however, does not use these rights very often, having a largely ceremonial role. The president is elected by a two-thirds vote of theRiigikogu. If the candidate does not gain the number of votes required, the right to elect the president goes over to an electoral body, consisting of the 101 members of Riigikogu and representatives from local councils. As other spheres, Estonian law-making has been successfully integrated with theInformation Age.
