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| Estonia holds election amid Russia fears | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Polling has ended and counting is under way in Estonia, in an election overshadowed by security concerns sparked by Russia's role in Ukraine. | |
| The Centre Party, which has ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin, is expected to do well. | The Centre Party, which has ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin, is expected to do well. |
| But it is seen as a pariah by other parties, who are likely to band together to renew the current governing coalition. | But it is seen as a pariah by other parties, who are likely to band together to renew the current governing coalition. |
| Estonia was once part of the former Soviet Union but is now a Nato member. | Estonia was once part of the former Soviet Union but is now a Nato member. |
| Voting for the 101-seat parliament ended at 18:00 GMT and a result is expected later in the evening. | |
| 'Estonian-minded' | |
| Prime Minister Taavi Roivas has voiced concerns that Russia could seek to destabilise other former Soviet states - a view echoed last month by UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. | Prime Minister Taavi Roivas has voiced concerns that Russia could seek to destabilise other former Soviet states - a view echoed last month by UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. |
| Mr Roivas has called for an "Estonian-minded government". At 35, he is the youngest prime minister in Europe. | Mr Roivas has called for an "Estonian-minded government". At 35, he is the youngest prime minister in Europe. |
| One voter, Pyotr Sirotkin, told Agence France-Presse in the capital, Tallinn: "If [the Russians] come in here, Estonia can't do anything... I'm not sure Nato will help us out, Let's hope that it will not go that far." | |
| Estonia has seen a number of airspace violations by Russia, and last year a security official was detained by Russia and accused of spying. | Estonia has seen a number of airspace violations by Russia, and last year a security official was detained by Russia and accused of spying. |
| The Centre Party leader, Edgar Saavisar, favours a friendlier approach to Moscow, and has suggested that Russia's annexation of Crimea could be legitimate. | The Centre Party leader, Edgar Saavisar, favours a friendlier approach to Moscow, and has suggested that Russia's annexation of Crimea could be legitimate. |
| About a quarter of Estonia's 1.3m population are ethnic Russians, many of whom are Centre Party supporters. | About a quarter of Estonia's 1.3m population are ethnic Russians, many of whom are Centre Party supporters. |
| The country is a pioneer of electronic voting, with a reported one in five casting their vote online. | The country is a pioneer of electronic voting, with a reported one in five casting their vote online. |
| Overall, some 42% of the one million-strong electorate had cast ballots by noon. |