The Settlers' Party ( et, Asunikkude partei) was a political party in

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

History

The party was established in 1923 as the Settlers' Group (''Asunikkude koondis''), a breakaway from

Farmers' Assemblies The Farmers' Assemblies ( et, Põllumeeste Kogud) was a conservative political party in Estonia. Led by Konstantin Päts, it was one of the ruling parties during most of the interwar period. History The Rural League (''Maarahva Liit'') was forme ...

.Vincent E McHale (1983) ''Political parties of Europe'', Greenwood Press, p381 The 1923 elections saw it won four seats in the

Riigikogu The Riigikogu (; from Estonian ''riigi-'', of the state, and ''kogu'', assembly) is the unicameral parliament of Estonia. In addition to approving legislation, the Parliament appoints high officials, including the Prime Minister and Chief Just ...

.Nohlen & Stöver, p577Nohlen & Stöver, p586 In December 1925 it became the Settlers, State Tenants and Smallholders Group (''Asunikkude, Riigirentnikkude ja Väikepõllupidajate Koondis''), and in the

1926 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1926. Africa * 1926 Egyptian parliamentary election * 1926 Lagos by-election * 1926 Northern Rhodesian general election * 1926 South West African legislative election Asia * 1926 Hong Kong sanitar ...

it won 14 seats, becoming the third largest party in the Riigikogu. It retained its 14-seat strength in the 1929 elections. The party was renamed again in 1931, becoming the Farmers' Settlers and Smallholders' Group (''Põllumeeste, Asunikkude ja Väikemaapidajate Koondis''). Prior to the 1932 elections the party merged with the

to form the Union of Settlers and Smallholders, with the new party winning 42 of the 100 seats.Nohlen & Stöver, p587 The party was re-established in 1933 after breaking away from the Union, and joined the government led by the National Centre Party's

Jaan Tõnisson Jaan Tõnisson (; , – 1941?) was an Estonian statesman, serving as the Prime Minister of Estonia twice during 1919 to 1920, as State Elder (head of state and government) from 1927 to 1928 and in 1933, and as Foreign Minister of Estonia from ...

. The activities of all political parties were suspended in 1935, but two Settlers' Party members won seats in the

1938 elections The following elections occurred in the year 1938. Africa * 1938 South African general election Asia * 1938 Philippine general election * 1938 Philippine legislative election * 1938 Soviet Union regional elections Europe * 1938 Estonian parl ...

. For decades after the 1944 Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia, the party remained active in exile in Sweden.

References

{{Authority control Defunct political parties in Estonia Political parties established in 1923 Defunct agrarian political parties