Estonia Seeks an Impossible Super-President

The ideal portrait of Estonia's next president is contradictory: the candidate should be both a seasoned, solid statesman and a modern personality familiar with youth trends. Society's expectations of the presidency are so broad and sometimes conflicting that no real person can fulfil them all.

Estonia is engaged in a quiet but intense discussion about what the next head of state should be like. The list of expectations is impressively long, and sometimes even comical.

Everything at Once

The profile of the ideal president envisions someone who is experienced, solid, and conflict-free. He should be able to tell a cow from a horse, meaning he should have a connection to rural life and traditional values. At the same time, he should understand trends that appeal to young people and master contemporary subculture vocabulary, knowing the difference between mogging and maxxing.

Culturally, the president is expected to enjoy ballet evenings and opera performances. But he should not be unfamiliar with streaming platforms or the popular series "Game of Thrones". Golf should be among his hobbies, and it certainly fits well with the image of a solid statesman.

A Tangle of Contradictions

The problem is that all these qualities do not exist in a single person. If someone understands the latest trends in youth culture in depth, it is likely they are not the most solid and conflict-free state figure. And conversely, a wise person with decades of life experience may find it difficult to keep up with the worries of the TikTok generation.

Estonia's presidential election takes place in Parliament, so ultimately it is decisive which candidate can gather sufficient political support behind him. Public expectations, however, are much broader and more ambitious than what the actual election process can offer.

What Do We Actually Need?

The question is not only what Estonia is looking for, but also whether we know what we need at all. The role of president in Estonia is largely ceremonial, but its symbolic weight is enormous. The head of state must represent all Estonians, be a voice on the international stage as well as at home as a builder of social cohesion.

Perhaps the most honest acknowledgement is that our list of expectations reflects society's own fragmentation and diversity. We want a president who is everything at once, and this wish itself tells us more about ourselves than any specific candidate.