Newspaper: Mailis Reps new Center Party presidential candidate
The Center Party’s Parliamentary Group, which has broken away from the leadership of party chairman Edgar Savisaar, is throwing their hat in the presidential election ring with former Minister of Education and current Parliamentary Group Deputy Chairman Mailis Reps.
After careful consideration, Reps, who was convinced to pursue presidential candidacy by Parliamentary Group Chairman Kadri Simson and Second Vice-President of the Riigikogu Jüri Ratas, has agreed to run for president in the upcoming elections, reported Estonian daily Postimees (link in Estonian) on Wednesday.
While there was some speculation regarding the possibility of the party’s “Simson wing” candidate being Kadri Simson’s father, MP Aadu Must, the latter asserted that nothing would happen within the party without Savisaar’s approval.
Simson noted in an interview with ERR last week that the Center Party definitely wanted to have its own candidate in the ring this summer.
In her opinion, Savisaar, who has yet to express a clear interest in running for president, should not be the only party member available for the Center Party to choose as its candidate.
Editor: Editor: Aili Sarapik