Parliamentary parties rule out a coalition with Center Party
The Reform Party, social democrats and the IRL have all said that they will not cooperate with the Center Party after the March elections, regardless of who leads it.
That the Reform and Center parties are seen and see themselves as two opposing forces in Estonia politics is nothing new. The prime minister recently called the Center Party and its leader Edgar Savisaar "a real danger" to Estonia, Delfi reports.
Following the Reform Party's change of coalition partner last spring, the IRL announced that it sees no reason not to cooperate with the Center Party in the opposition. Now, however, Urmas Reinsalu, the head of the party, has said that the two have no common ground and "IRL has repeatedly stated that it will not cooperate with the Savisaar-led Center Party."
Sven Mikser, the leader of social democrats, has issued a similar statement: "I have said it before that Savisaar has no business in the Stenbock house and the Center Party will not be part of the government after the March elections."
Newcomers Free Party and People's Conservative Party have also ruled out cooperation with the Center Party. Hence, were the Center Party to win the elections, they would have a difficult time forming a government.
Center Party members Kadri Simson and Enn Eesmaa said that such statements are part of their opponents' election campaigns and should be taken with a pinch of salt.
Editor: M. Oll