§ 102. Laws shall be adopted in accordance with the Constitution.
§ 103. The following have the right to initiate laws:
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members of the Riigikogu;
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Riigikogu parliamentary groups;
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Riigikogu committees;
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the Government of the Republic;
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the President of the Republic, for amendment of the Constitution.
The Riigikogu has the right, on the basis of a resolution made by the majority of all members, to propose to the Government of the Republic to initiate a bill desired by the Riigikogu.
§ 104. The procedure for the adoption of laws shall be provided by a law on the rules of procedure of the Riigikogu.
The following laws can be adopted and amended only by the majority of all members of the Riigikogu:
- law on citizenship;
- law on election of the Riigikogu;
- law on election of the President of the Republic;
- law on elections in municipalities;
- law on referendums;
- law on the rules of procedure of the Riigikogu and on the internal rules of the Riigikogu;
- law on remuneration of the President of the Republic and of members of the Riigikogu;
- law on the Government of the Republic;
- law on judicial proceedings against the President of the Republic or members of the Government of the Republic;
- law on cultural autonomy for national minorities;
- law on the state budget;
- law on Eesti Pank;
- law on the National Audit Office;
- law on the administration of the courts and laws on court procedure;
- laws pertaining to foreign and domestic borrowing, and to pecuniary obligations of the state;
- law on a state of emergency;
- law on peace-time national defence and law on war-time national defence.
§ 105. The Riigikogu has the right to submit a bill or other affairs of state to a referendum.
The decision of the people shall be made by the majority of the participants in the voting.
A law which is adopted by a referendum shall be promptly promulgated by the President of the Republic. The decision of the referendum shall be binding on all state bodies.
If a bill which is submitted to a referendum does not receive a majority of votes in favour, the President of the Republic shall declare extraordinary elections of the Riigikogu.
§ 106. Issues regarding the budget, taxation, financial obligations of the state, ratification and denunciation of international treaties, the declaration or termination of a state of emergency, or national defence cannot be submitted to a referendum.
The procedure for holding referendums shall be provided by a law on referendums.
§ 107. Laws shall be promulgated by the President of the Republic.
The President of the Republic may refrain from promulgating a law adopted by the Riigikogu and, within fourteen days after its receipt, return the law, together with his or her reasoned decision, to the Riigikogu for a new debate and decision. If the Riigikogu adopts the law which is returned to it by the President of the Republic again, unamended, the President of the Republic shall promulgate the law or shall propose to the Supreme Court to declare the law unconstitutional. If the Supreme Court declares the law to be in conformity with the Constitution, the President of the Republic shall promulgate the law.
§ 108. A law shall enter into force on the tenth day after its publication in the Riigi Teataja3, unless otherwise provided for in the law.
§ 109. If the Riigikogu is unable to convene, the President of the Republic may, in matters of national urgency, issue decrees that have the force of law, and which shall bear the counter-signatures of the President of the Riigikogu and the Prime Minister.
When the Riigikogu convenes, the President of the Republic shall present the decrees to the Riigikogu, which shall promptly adopt a law for their confirmation or repeal.
§ 110. The Constitution, the laws set out in § 104 of the Constitution, laws which establish state taxes, and the state budget cannot be enacted, amended or repealed by a decree of the President of the Republic.