Taagepera proposes mandatory presidential check-up

  • 2006-08-18
  • By TBT staff
Rein Taagepera, professor emeritus of Tartu University and University of California, said that all serious presidential candidates should have a medical check-up by an independent council.

Writing in the daily Eesti Paevaleht, Taagepera said that the medical council would publicize any medical disorders that could impede the president in his duties. By doing this, it would help avoid the election of a president who is seriously ill and clear up rumors on certain candidates' health. "This is becoming a tradition in democratic countries, even if the law does not require it," he said. "Neither should any member of parliament, or of the electoral college, who votes without asking the necessary information evade this responsibility."
Taagepera said the medical issue directly pertained to Arnold Ruutel, referring to a recent opinion article by mnemonic disorders diagnostician Helle Nurm, which suggested that Ruutel was "too old" for the presidency. "It is time for an expert opinion which confirms that the candidate has not passed the limits of normal aging and does away with suspicions," Taagepera said.

Rumors were fed by the fact that Ruutel's public appearances have become increasingly rare. "What must we think, if the president's traditional Independence Day speech is replaced last minute with an extraordinarily long address by [defense forces commander Vice] Adm. Kouts? What must we think if he greets one unit after another on the occasion of Victory Day, not paying attention to Kouts' recommendation to greet the next unit on the occasion of Independence Day? The slip was repeated again and again," he said.

In Taagepera's opinion, if Ruutel spoke without prepared text and answered questions on the spot, this would help convince people of his good health.
"It is said [the former Finnish President Urho] Kekkonen was almost a prisoner in his residence. I wouldn't want to have a situation where Kadriorg's personnel have instructions to guide the president quietly back if he should venture out from the residence," he added. Taagepera was a presidential candidate in 1992.