* The consent of Estonian President Arnold Rüütel to run for the second term has made him more popular, reports Eesti Paevaleht.
The public opinion poll by Faktum&Ariko shows that 33% of Estonian voters support Rüütel’s decision. In April Rüüel was supported by 20%. 36% support European Parliament member, Social-Democrat Toomas Hendrik Ilves – as many as in April. “The number of Rüütel supporters is growing as the picture is getting clearer. There were more doubters before — as nobody knew if the president was going to run again,” says the press secretary of the People’s Union Agu Uudelepp.
Now that the leader of the Centrist Party Edgar Savisaar is absent, Rüütel has got especially popular among the Russian-speaker voters : 59% of non-Estonians and 20% of Estonians support him. 42% of rural residents support Ilves, 28% — Ruutel.
The first round of the presidential election in Estonia is scheduled for August 28.
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