Parliamentary Ombudsman congratulates Ülle Madise on election as President of Estonia

Parliamentary Ombudsman congratulates Ülle Madise on election as President of Estonia

Published September 02, 2026

The Parliamentary Ombudsman of Malta, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon, has congratulated Professor Ülle Madise following her election by the Estonian Parliament as President of the Republic of Estonia.

Professor Madise was elected on 2 September 2026 during an extraordinary sitting of the Riigikogu, receiving 71 votes and exceeding the two thirds majority of 68 required by the Constitution. Her candidacy had been proposed by 75 Members of Parliament. 

Her election represents a significant moment for the international Ombudsman community. Professor Madise has served as Estonia’s Chancellor of Justice since 2015 and was appointed for a second term in 2021. A distinguished constitutional lawyer and academic, she has combined extensive experience in constitutional law, public administration and the protection of fundamental rights. 

The Estonian Chancellor of Justice is a particularly broad independent constitutional institution. In addition to exercising Ombudsman functions, the institution reviews the constitutionality of legislation, serves as the National Preventive Mechanism under OPCAT and as Ombudsman for Children, and since 2019 has operated as Estonia’s National Human Rights Institution. It was awarded A status under the UN Paris Principles in 2020 and also performs the independent monitoring functions under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

Throughout her tenure, Professor Madise has made an important contribution to European and international Ombudsman cooperation, consistently promoting independence, constitutional safeguards, human dignity and practical solutions to problems encountered by persons in their dealings with public authorities.

She has also maintained a close and valued relationship with the Office of the Ombudsman in Malta.

In October 2025, Professor Madise was a guest speaker at the International Ombudsman Conference organised in Malta to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Office. She participated in the session entitled Embracing Technological Innovation: The Ombudsman’s Role in the Age of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence. 

Drawing on Estonia’s extensive experience in digital government, she reflected on the balance between technological innovation and human freedom. She warned against assuming that greater security could justify excessive technological control and emphasised the responsibility of Ombudsman institutions both to recognise the benefits of innovation and to ensure that technology does not undermine fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law.

Her contribution carried a clear message: technological development must remain centred on the person. As she emphasised during the conference, technology must serve people and not the other way round. The discussion reflected wider concerns surrounding surveillance, personal data, automated decision making and the need to preserve meaningful human control as public administrations increasingly adopt digital and artificial intelligence systems. The Office’s 2025 Annual Report subsequently highlighted her contribution and her warning against excessive surveillance. 

Professor Madise’s election to the highest office of the Republic of Estonia follows more than a decade at the head of an institution dedicated to constitutional legality, good administration and the protection of rights. In her address following the presidential election, she placed particular emphasis on trust and cautioned against the notion that the State should presume to know how persons should live, think or conduct their affairs. 

Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon described Professor Madise as a highly respected colleague and a valued friend of the Office of the Ombudsman in Malta, whose contribution to the international Ombudsman community has been substantial.

On behalf of the Office of the Parliamentary Ombudsman, Judge Zammit McKeon conveyed his warm congratulations to Professor Madise on her election and wished her every success in the service of the people of Estonia.

Her election is also a source of satisfaction for the wider Ombudsman community, recognising a career distinguished by commitment to constitutional democracy, independent oversight, good administration and the protection of fundamental rights.