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Revision as of 12:36, 15 May 2007 by Petri Krohn (talk | contribs) (expanded lead paragraph)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The Congress of Estonia was a rival parliament set up in the Estonian SSR during the process of Estonia's separation from the Soviet Union, to challenge the power and authority of the Supreme Soviet of the ESSR. The Congress claimed to represent the highest authority on questions of Estonian statehood and citizenship. The aim of the congress was to "restore Estonian independence" based on a principal of "legal continuity" with the pre-1940 republic. I practice this would mean denying citizenship to Estonia's Soviet migrant population, representing nearly 40% of the total.
In 1989 independence activists started registering people considered to be Estonian citizens by birth according to the jus sanguinis principle, i.e. the people who held Estonian citizenship in June 1940 (when Estonian independence de facto lapsed) and their descendants. People that did not satisfy this criteria could register applications for citizenship. By February 1990, 790,000 provisional citizens and about 60,000 applicants had been registered.
In February 1990, an election of the Congress was held among citizens so registered. The Congress had 499 delegates from 31 distinct political parties. The Estonian National Independence Party won the most seats, other parties represented included the the Popular Front of Estonia, the Heritage Society and the Communist Party of Estonia. The permanent standing committee, the Committee of Estonia was chaired by Tunne Kelam.
In September 1991, a constitutional assembly was formed of equal numbers of members of the Supreme Soviet and the Congress of Estonia. The new constitution was approved by referendum in June 1992. Congress of Estonia and the Supreme Soviet were dissolved in October 1992. In September 1992 the first parliament (Riigikogu) under the new constitution was elected. The restrictive citizenship laws led to the disenfranchisement a third of Estonian population.
References
- The Restoration of Estonian Independence
- Soviet Union Cry Independence - Time magazine - August 21, 1989
External links
- ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN ESTONIA 1989-1999 - 3. ELECTIONS TO THE ESTONIAN CONGRESS 24.02-1.03 1990
- Estonia's Way to Freedom
- Independence Reclaimed, August 1991-October 1992
 Elections and referendums in Estonia | |
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| Parliamentary elections | |
| Municipal elections | |
| Presidential elections | |
| European elections | |
| Referendums | |