Social Democrats Throw Spanner in Randpere's Plan to Topple Savisaar
A plan by the head of Reform Party's Tallinn district, Valdo Randpere, to oust the Center Party from the Tallinn city government through united a opposition has been met with skepticism by IRL and the Social Democrats (SDE).
Randpere proposed toppling the Center Party and mayor Edgar Savisaar from power in the capital at the next local elections by immediately forming a coalition of the Reform Party, IRL and SDE, and, from now through the elections, showing the public that the three parties can cooperate against the current city government, ETV reported yesterday.
Randpere's plan would include naming a common candidate to run for mayor.
Randpere's SDE counterpart Andres Anvelt said that his party will not go along with the Reform Party's idea as they prefer to take their chances going alone. Despite his position, Anvelt did not rule out cooperation between the three parties after the elections.
“The Social Democrats are the only party in the current climate that could topple the ironclad rule of the Center Party in Tallinn and create a situation where, after a long wait, a coalition government could be formed,” added Indrek Saar, deputy chairman of SDE.
IRL's secretary general Tiit Riisalo also remained skeptical, preferring talks to take place after the elections, but said that IRL is willing to hear Randpere's ideas.
The Center Party has 44 out of the 79 in the Tallinn City Council. The Reform Party has 14, IRL 13 and SDE eight.
With the October 20 local elections already on the horizon, political parties have already started planning.
The Reform Party has said it hopes to have 5,000 candidates running in 200 out of the nation's 226 municipalities. The Center Party plans to compete for 203 local governments, SDE for 130 and IRL for 120.