Reinsalu: Mikser Won War of Wills with Prime Minister
IRL Chairman Urmas Reinsalu said the Jürgen Ligi case shows the Social Democrats have gained the upper hand in government and its party Chairman, Sven Mikser, is the real leader.
“Ligi did not resign due to his words – that much was said by himself and Prime Minister (Taavi) Rõivas. It was a political showdown and the Social Democrats got what they wanted,” he told ERR radio, about Ligi's resignation as Minister of Finance, after a war of words last week with Social Democrat and Minister of Education Jevgeni Ossinovski.
Reinsalu added that he can not remember such a conflict between coalition members, or even between the government and the opposition.
Rõivas attempted to assert his party's will over the Social Democrats, but failed, Reinsalu said.
Ligi himself recently told Õhtuleht that it is neither Mikser, nor Parliament Speaker Eiki Nestor, who lead the Social Democrats, but the party is being run by Jaak Allik, Indrek Saar, and Ossinovski.
Ligi added that it was far harder to communicate with the three people instead of Nestor and Mikser.