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| Incumbent 'wins Estonia election' | Incumbent 'wins Estonia election' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Estonia's governing coalition is poised to stay in power, official preliminary results show, with the prime minister's centre-right party winning most votes. | Estonia's governing coalition is poised to stay in power, official preliminary results show, with the prime minister's centre-right party winning most votes. |
| With 98% of the votes counted, Andrus Ansip's Reform Party has gained 27.7% of votes polled. | With 98% of the votes counted, Andrus Ansip's Reform Party has gained 27.7% of votes polled. |
| The left-leaning Centre Party, a coalition partner, took 26.2% of votes. | The left-leaning Centre Party, a coalition partner, took 26.2% of votes. |
| The polls were the fifth parliamentary elections since the country regained independence in 1991 but marked a world first for voting online. | |
| If the results are confirmed, the two coalition partners would have 60 seats in the 101-member parliament. | If the results are confirmed, the two coalition partners would have 60 seats in the 101-member parliament. |
| This would enable the parties to form the first government to be re-elected since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. | This would enable the parties to form the first government to be re-elected since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. |
| Rapid growth | Rapid growth |
| But both parties - who have maintained a political partnership despite policy differences - were keeping their options open about potential partnerships. | But both parties - who have maintained a political partnership despite policy differences - were keeping their options open about potential partnerships. |
| The country's main opposition party - the IRL union - came in third place with 17.8%. | The country's main opposition party - the IRL union - came in third place with 17.8%. |
| Turnout rose to 61% of those eligible to vote, up from 58% in 2003, officials said. | Turnout rose to 61% of those eligible to vote, up from 58% in 2003, officials said. |
| Most of Estonia's political parties had campaigned on the country's rapid economic growth and their plans for taxation. | Most of Estonia's political parties had campaigned on the country's rapid economic growth and their plans for taxation. |
| Mr Ansip vowed to maintain Estonia's renowned flat tax and continue the country's market-friendly policies which helped the country post a growth rate of 11.5% last year. | Mr Ansip vowed to maintain Estonia's renowned flat tax and continue the country's market-friendly policies which helped the country post a growth rate of 11.5% last year. |
| But correspondents say that Estonia, which joined the European Union in 2004 is still grappling with some of the EU's worst health statistics, including high rates of alcoholism, HIV infection, and traffic-related deaths. | But correspondents say that Estonia, which joined the European Union in 2004 is still grappling with some of the EU's worst health statistics, including high rates of alcoholism, HIV infection, and traffic-related deaths. |
| Yet the country broke new ground with its online election system which took advantage of the fact that nearly 90% of Estonians carry a computer-readable identity card - which they were able to use to log in to the secure online voting website. | Yet the country broke new ground with its online election system which took advantage of the fact that nearly 90% of Estonians carry a computer-readable identity card - which they were able to use to log in to the secure online voting website. |