Estonia’s New President Wins Opposition Support in Defiance of Moscow

Estonia’s parliament elected legal scholar Ülle Madise as the country’s next president on Wednesday. Her victory came with support from a portion of the parliamentary opposition, a rare show of cross-party unity. The result signals the strength of Estonia’s democratic institutions. It comes as Moscow intensifies efforts to question the legitimacy of the Baltic nation’s independence, which followed decades of Soviet occupation. Madise, a constitutional law expert, will take over leadership of the NATO and European Union member state at a time of heightened regional tension. Her election underscores how Estonian politicians are setting aside rivalries to present a united front against external pressure.