Estonia’s Parliament fails to elect president in first round

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Estonia’s Parliament on Monday failed to elect a new president to the Baltic country after lawmakers rejected the only candidate in the first round of voting. Alar Karis received support from 63 lawmakers with 16 blank votes and the rest either absent or abstaining Monday in the 101-seat Riigikogu legislature. He needed a two-thirds majority or 68 votes to be elected in the secret ballot. The result means that further rounds of voting will be held Tuesday. The 63-year-old Karis is a former state auditor and currently the Estonian National Museum’s director. He was the only candidate running in the election to succeed Kersti Kaljulaid.