Estonian FM to resign to run for president

Estonian Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand will resign from her cabinet post and is slated to formally announce her intention to run for the presidency of Estonia at Friday midnight.



According to Estonian Public Broadcaster (ERR), Kaljurand's campaign chief Andreas Kaju said Kaljurand handed in her notice to step down as minister on Friday morning.



Kaljurand also reportedly has the 21 minimum elector signatures needed to officially nominate her as a candidate in the upcoming electoral vote which is scheduled for Sept. 24.



Prime Minister and Reform Party Chairman Taavi Roivas issued a statement following his meeting with Kaljurand on Friday morning, saying Kaljurand had notified him of her decision to run for president on early Friday morning.



The Estonian presidential election gone through three rounds of votes at the parliament, but resulted in no winner. The last decisive vote will be held on Sept. 24.

