Constitution of Estonia (1992)

The 1992 charter approved by referendum after independence was restored, built on legal continuity with the interwar republic.

Overview

Approved by referendum on June 28, 1992, less than a year after Estonia restored its independence from the Soviet Union, the constitution presents the state as the continuation of the republic founded in 1918 rather than a new creation. It establishes a parliamentary republic with a 101 member Riigikogu, a president chosen by parliament or, failing that, by a wider electoral body, and an independent Chancellor of Justice who reviews laws for constitutionality and acts as ombudsman. Its rights chapter draws on European models. A further referendum in 2003 approved the amendment act that allowed Estonia to join the European Union the following year.