Estonian Provincial Assembly

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The Estonian Provincial Assembly or Estonian State Diet,[a] also often called by its Estonian name Maapäev,[1] was elected in May–June 1917 during the Russian Revolution as the provincial parliament (diet) of the Autonomous Governorate of Estonia. On 28 November 1917, after the

Bolshevik coup in Russia, the Assembly declared itself the sole sovereign power in Estonia and called for the elections of the Estonian Constituent Assembly. On the eve of the German occupation of Estonia during World War I the council elected the Estonian Salvation Committee and issued the Estonian Declaration of Independence
on 24 February 1918.

History

On 12 April 1917 the

governorate. The Russian Provisional Government decreed that the provincial assembly be created with members elected by indirect universal suffrage
.

Elections for the 62 deputies of the Maapäev were held in many stages; members representing the rural communities were elected in two-tiered elections in May–June, while the town representatives were elected in July–August 1917. The election process saw the creation and reorganization of Estonian national parties.

Six parties were represented at the diet, with three independent deputies and two deputies representing the local

minorities.

Results

PartySeats
Rural League13
STPERSP11
Estonian Social Democratic Association9
Estonian Socialist Revolutionary Party8
Estonian Democratic Party7
Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (Bolsheviks)5
Estonian Radical Democratic Party4
Baltic Germans1
Estonian Swedes1
Independents3
Total62
Source: Raun,[2] Suny[3]

Aftermath

In the wake of the November 1917

Republic of Estonia
.

After the German occupation of Estonia ended, the Maapäev continued as the legislature of Estonia until 1919.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Estonian: Eestimaa Kubermangu Ajutine Maanõukogu, (Ajutine) Maanõukogu, Eesti Maanõukogu, (Eesti) Maapäev

References

  1. .
  2. ^ Toivo U. Raun (2001) Estonia and the Estonians, Hoover Press, p100
  3. .

External links