Illi Madize Elected Estonia’s Next President

Illi Madize secured Estonia’s presidency with 71 votes in parliament, clearing the 68 votes required in the secret ballot. She will replace Alar Karis, who announced in June that he would not seek a second term.

Madize currently serves as Estonia’s justice chancellor and is expected to take office later this month. Born Illi Antona in Tartu on Dec. 11, 1974, she is a prominent Estonian lawyer and legal scholar.

She qualified as a lawyer and earned a master’s degree from the University of Tartu. In 2007, she received a doctorate in administrative governance from Tallinn University of Technology. Her career has included work at the Ministry of Justice, advising the Estonian parliament’s Constitutional Committee, and serving as chief auditor at the National Audit Office.

From 2009 to 2015, Madize worked as legal adviser to President Toomas Hendrik Ilves. She also taught public and constitutional law at several Estonian universities. She became justice chancellor on March 31, 2015, advocating individual freedoms, criticizing excessive regulation, and maintaining a politically neutral stance.

Madize has also promoted the Estonian language and stressed the importance of clear, understandable communication by public authorities. Her reputation grew during the summer of 2026, when she became one of the leading independent candidates in the presidential election with backing from several major political parties. She is married to Lauri Madize, a judge at the General Court of the European Union.