Official party negotiations to begin after current government resigns
Although negotiations between parties about the next government are already happening, official meetings are to begin only after Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas (Reform) either resigns or is forced to resign in the no confidence vote against him scheduled for Wednesday 2 p.m.
Statements to the effect were made on Tuesday by both the Social Democrats and IRL, the two parties leaving the current government.
The Social Democrats had decided in their Tuesday leadership meeting that chairman Jevgeni Ossinovski had a mandate to begin coalition talks, but not before the current government had resigned, MP Andres Anvelt (SDE) said on Monday. Anvelt is the chairman of the Social Democrats’ parliamentary group.
Anvelt confirmed that tentative talks were already going on. Chairman of IRL, Margus Tsahkna and chairman of the Center Party’s parliamentary group, Kadri Simson said the same.
According to Simson, there had been attempts by the Reform Party to start consultations with Center, but they had turned hostile after it became clear that Center wasn’t interested.
Far right EKRE hoping for participation
Chairman of the Center Party Jüri Ratas has met with representatives of the Free Party and the Estonian Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) as well. According to Ratas, EKRE has been Center’s reliable partner during both parties’ time in opposition.
Chairman of EKRE’s parliamentary party, Martin Helme, said that Ratas understood that there was an expectation in Estonian society that the new political forces be included in the next government that had only made it into parliament in the last election. “But what such an agreement would look like in the end, who is going to participate, of course that’s still too early to say,” Helme said.
The biggest opposition to EKRE joining the government would come from the Social Democrats, Helme added, which was “logical”.
Ratas also met with the Free Party’s parliamentary group on Tuesday. Free Party chairman Andres Herkel said that they were ready to start coalition talks.
Editor: Editor: Dario Cavegn