New president for Estonia

September 23, 2006

After a month-long wrangle, U.S.-educated Ilves was appointed to the largely ceremonial position. His appointment is likely to reinforce the small Baltic EU member's pro-Western policies and its drive to adopt the EU single currency, the euro. An electoral college of parliamentarians and local government representatives voted 174-162 for Ilves over the incumbent, Arnold Ruutel. His five-year term officially begins on October 9.