Sester, Pomerants or Tsahkna next IRL leader, says academic
University of Tartu Professor Vello Pettai said one of the new IRL ministers will take over from Urmas Reinsalu as party chief in June.
IRL named its candidates for the four ministries earmarked for the party in the new government. The candidates, Reinsalu for the justice ministry, Sven Sester for finance, Marko Pomerants for environment and Margus Tsahkna for social protection, will first have to be approved by the party's council.
Pettai told ERR the party is in a difficult position as it will have to name a new chairman after the four ministerial postings have been divided up.
“If in June someone else is elected to lead the party, then it is possible a minister will have to be swapped out to propel the party chairman into government,” he said, adding that the Reform Party forced Andrus Ansip into the government in 2004 after he was elected as party chairman.
Pettai said that in that sense, the new IRL ministers will have an edge in the chairman election.
Speaking about the potential new government, he said only three ministers - the prime minister and defense and foreign ministers - will remain the same while all other ministries are likely to have new faces in charge.
Editor: J.M. Laats