Erik Jakobson

Erik Jakobson (born 1956) is a Baltic politician currently serving as the President of the Senate of Balta. Jakobson was first elected to the Senate in 1994 from Estonia's 4th congressional district. Prior to the Senate, Jakobson was the Governor of Estonia from 1986 to 1990.

Jakobson was re-elected to the Senate in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018. Due to term limits, Jakobson is not eligible to be re-elected in 2022.

In 2008, Jakobson was elected President of the Senate; in the final round of run-off voting, Jakobson won 98-52. Jakobson was re-elected President of the Senate in 2010 and 2012. In 2014, he lost re-election by 5 votes, but was elected back to the position in 2016 and 2018.

Jakobson has confirmed that he will run for a second term as Governor of Estonia in 2022.

1986 election
Jakobson was a prominent Estonian businessman until he announced his campaign for Governor of Estonia in late 1985. After winning the Estonian Social Democratic Party primary on January 11, 1986 with 68% of the vote, Jakobson went on to challenge incumbent Democratic-Progressive Governor Aleks Sirel and National Party nominee Mak Oderblaad.

On May 3, 1986 legislative elections, Jakobson defeated Governor Sirel in the third round of tabulation, 53-47%. He was inaugurated as the 39th Governor of Estonia on June 10.

UBI initiative
Jakobson's biggest campaign promise was to instate a universal basic income program for the state of Estonia. Jakobson mentioned this program in his victory speech.

In the 1986, the Estonian Social Democratic Party earned a total of 54 seats in the Legislature of Estonia. Supported by the Estonian Democratic-Progressive Party (33 seats) and the Socialist Party of Estonia (19 seats), the three parties achieved a majority coalition. (There are 185 total seats in the unicameral Legislature of Estonia.) This coalition made it easier for Jakobson to achieve his UBI proposal.

After the Legislature of Estonia passed the a UBI bill on August 19, 1986, Jakobson signed it into law and it was enacted on October 1.

1990 election
Jakobson confirmed his re-election campaign on September 2, 1989. He won the SDP primary with 84% on January 14, 1990. He was challenged by Reigo Valbe (Democratic-Progressive Balta senator) and Finn Draemond (National Party lawyer). On May 6, Jakobson won the first round of tabualtion with 48%, but eventually lost to Draemond in the third round, 51-49%.