Defense doctrine, supplementary budget, and a packed final day: Riigikogu's week

The Riigikogu approved Estonia's security policy foundations and debated two defense-related bills, while a supplementary budget and a consent-based sexual violence law were also on the agenda.

It was one of the busiest sitting weeks of the spring session. Between 8 and 14 June, the Riigikogu worked through dozens of bills across defense, the state budget, energy, social policy, and justice — with Wednesday's marathon plenary session alone accounting for more than twenty agenda items.

Security policy and defense

The most politically significant item of the week was the Riigikogu resolution approving the updated "Foundations of Estonian Security Policy" (908 OE II), which was on the agenda on Wednesday 10 June with one recorded vote. This document sets the overarching strategic direction for Estonia's defence and foreign policy and requires a full-chamber majority, making its passage a significant moment for the current parliament.

Thursday 11 June brought a cluster of defence-related bills to second reading. Two amendments to the Defence Forces Organisation Act (898 SE II and 907 SE II) were debated — one a broader organisational update, the other specifically addressing combat guard (lahinguvalve) arrangements. A separate bill on drone surveillance and countermeasure responsibilities (902 SE II) — clarifying which agencies can monitor and neutralise unmanned vehicles — also moved through second reading. The day concluded with a major policy debate initiated by the Defence Committee on the state's readiness to prevent and counter security threats in a deteriorating security environment.

Supplementary budget

Monday opened with the 2026 supplementary budget bill (910 SE II), which recorded three votes — suggesting it passed through a significant procedural hurdle or final reading. The supplementary budget is the government's mid-year spending adjustment tool, and its presence at the top of Monday's agenda with multiple votes indicates this was a substantive legislative moment, though the exact outcome of each division is not detailed in the agenda data.

Sexual violence law and justice reform

Wednesday also saw a vote on the long-debated consent-based sexual violence bill (727 SE III), which reached its third reading. The bill rewrites the criminal code's approach to sexual offences around the principle of consent. One vote was recorded. A separate amendment to the Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure (773 SE III) — requiring a full parliamentary majority — also came to a vote on the same day.

An EU anti-SLAPP directive was transposed into Estonian law via amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure and Law of Obligations Act (865 SE III), protecting individuals and journalists from abusive litigation aimed at silencing public participation.

Energy and economy

Tuesday brought electricity market amendments (892 SE I) and the Climate-Resilient Economy Act (928 SE I) to first reading, signalling that energy transition legislation will remain a recurring theme in the weeks ahead. Also on Tuesday, alcohol and fuel excise duty amendments (881 SE II) were on the agenda at second reading — a recurring area of fiscal sensitivity. Earlier in the week, changes to the Tax Procedure Act touching anti-money-laundering rules (924 SE I) were introduced.

Social policy and other legislation

Thursday's agenda included the Child Protection Act amendments (901 SE II) and the Family Benefits Act (869 SE I) at first reading — both relevant to ongoing debates about household financial resilience, a theme that also surfaced in two interpellations on Monday about Estonians' declining financial wellbeing.

What's next

Several bills reached only first or second reading this week — including the Climate-Resilient Economy Act, the infectious disease prevention law (889 SE II), and the electricity market reform bill — meaning they are likely to return for further readings in the coming sitting weeks before the summer recess.