Seeder: If coalition collapsed, Reform would gain too much power
Isamaa party leader Helir-Valdor Seeder excludes the possibility of his party leaving the current coalition government with Center and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), claiming that the opposition Reform Party would gain far too much power as a result.
Seeder told daily Õhtuleht (link in Estonian) on Wednesday: "If the current coalition were to collapse, then naturally Reform would become sole ruler because no other coalition could be formed without them."
Seeder emphasized in an opinion piece for daily Postimees (link in Estonian) on Thursday: "Isamaa has no reason to break up the coalition because many of the coalition agreement's promises have been filled in the first year. We got a better result in the last Riigikogu elections than expected, we are in government and are determining Estonian politics.
"As party leader, I hold the responsibility of not leaving the creation of a new potential government in the lap of the gods or the 'squirrels' (Reform Party's logo depicts a squirrel - ed.), without knowing what would happen with Isamaa and with Estonia."
Isamaa holds 12 seats in Riigikogu, which would open an opportunity to form a coalition with Reform Party (34 seats) and the Social Democrats (10 seats).
Prime Minister Jüri Ratas' Center holds 25 seats in Riigikogu and EKRE holds 19.
While Reform won the highest number of seats at the March 2019 elections, the party found itself locked out of coalition negotiations with all except SDE; since the latter only has 10 seats this was not sufficient to form a coalition majority at the 101-seat Riigikogu.
Isamaa was in office in the last administration, with Center and SDE, from November 2016. Before that, the party had been in a coalition with Reform and SDE.
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Editor: Kristjan Kallaste