Legislative elections were held in the Estonian SSR on March 18, 1990. It was the first free parliamentary election in Estonia since 1930s. A total of 105 deputies were elected to the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR, of which 4 were from military districts. Altogether 392 candidates competed for seats in the Soviet. The opposition pro-independence Popular Front won the plurality of the seats. The anti-independence "Joint Council of Work Collectives", representing mostly the Russian-speaking minority in Estonia, as well as the reformed communists

Communist Party of Estonia

Communist Party of Estonia was a political party in Estonia.EKP was formed November 5, 1920, as the Central Committee of the Estonian Sections of the Russian Communist Party was separated from its mother party. During the first half of 1920s the hopes to an immediate world revolution were still...

, who favored independence but close relations with the USSR, both gained around 25 seats. During its first session, the new Supreme Soviet re-elected the former Communist Party member Arnold Rüütel

Arnold Rüütel

Arnold Rüütel OIH was the third President of the Republic of Estonia from October 8, 2001 to October 9, 2006. He was the second President since Estonia regained its independence in 1991....

 as its chairman, allowing him to stay as the leader of Estonia.

The elected parliament was responsible for some of the most important decisions in the modern Estonian history

History of Estonia

Estonia was settled near the end of the last glacial era, beginning from around 8500 BC. Before the German invasions in the 13th century proto-Estonians of the Ancient Estonia worshipped the spirits of nature...

, such as the declaration of independence from the Soviet Union on March 30, 1990, adopted by a vote of 73 for to 0 against, with 27 MPs boycotting the vote. It also adopted the new Constitution of the Republic of Estonia.

Results

Parties and coalitions		Seats
Estonian Popular Front		43
Communist Party Communist Party of Estonia Communist Party of Estonia was a political party in Estonia.EKP was formed November 5, 1920, as the Central Committee of the Estonian Sections of the Russian Communist Party was separated from its mother party. During the first half of 1920s the hopes to an immediate world revolution were still...  - Free Estonia		27
Joint Council of Work Collectives		25
Independents		10
Turnout: 78%		105