1.4 Fundamental principles, division and interlinkage of the political and the administrative system

The Constitution guarantees the independence of legislative, executive and judiciary power - the activities of the Riigikogu, the President of the Republic, the Government of the Republic, and the courts shall be organised on the principle of separation and balance of powers. The institutions of different powers are related to each other through elections and rules of appointment. Thus, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court are appointed to office by the Riigikogu, on the proposal of the President of the Republic. Justices of the Supreme Court are appointed to office by the Riigikogu, on the proposal of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Other judges are appointed to office by the President of the Republic, on the proposal of the Supreme Court (for more relations between the president, the parliament and the government see sections 2 & 3 below).
Politics of Estonia takes place in a framework of a pluriform multi-party system and of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Estonia is the head of government. The parliamentary coalition forms the state government and the coalition treaty is one of the most important documents directing the activities of the government. At a personal level, the political and administrative systems are intertwined in the ministries. The ministers - the politicians and members of the state government - are the heads of the ministries as administrative government agencies.
Government of the Republic Act classifies the agencies of executive power in a following manner:
  1. government agencies;
  2. state agencies administered by government agencies;
  3. the Defence Forces of Estonia.
Government agencies are administrative agencies - ministries, the State Chancellery and county governments, as well as executive agencies and inspectorates, and their regional offices with authority to exercise executive power. Government agencies are financed from the state budget and whose main function granted by law or pursuant to law is to exercise executive power.

Table 1. The division of legislative, executive and judiciary power in Estonia

Estonia is a unitary state. There are no autonomous regions in Estonia. According to the Territory of Estonia Administrative Division Act the territory of Estonia is divided administratively into counties, rural municipalities and towns. 194 rural municipalities and 33 cites are divided into 15 counties. The Constitution precludes both the establishment of an autonomous region within Estonia, with a legal order different from that in force elsewhere in Estonia, or the creation of a federal, Estonian state.The Constitution prescribes that all local issues shall be resolved and managed by local governments. Local governments in Estonia are rural municipalities and cities. Local governments shall operate independently pursuant to law. Duties may be imposed on a local government only pursuant to law or by agreement with the local government.