Average age of Estonian political party members increases
The overall average age of Estonian political parties’ members is increasing, with the average age among members of six the parties currently represented in the Riigikogu being the highest in the Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE) and the lowest in the Reform Party.
The average age of EKRE party members is 56, while the average ages in the Center Party, the Social Democratic Party (SDE) and the Free Party are 54, 52 and 51, respectively. The average age remains below 50 in the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL) and Reform only, at 45 and 41, respectively, wrote Estonian daily Postimees (link in Estonian).
Among parties not currently represented in the Riigikogu, the average age of members of the Estonian Freedom Party – Farmers’ Assembly (EVPK) and the Estonian United Left Party (EÜVP) exceeded EKRE’s average at 66 and 57, respectively, while the Estonian Christian Democrats (EEKD) tied EKRE at 56. The average age of the Estonian Greens is 51, while the average age of members of the Estonian Independence Party and the Party of People’s Unity (RÜE) are currently 43 and 42, respectively.
Compared to 2009, the average age in all Estonian political parties has increased, with the biggest increase in age, by six years, seen in the Greens party, followed by a four-year increase in IRL and a three-year increase in Reform.
While this increase in party members’ average age currently poses no risk to the political parties, it may become an issue in ten to fifteen years as interest in joining political parties wanes among the generation born in the 1990s.
Editor: Editor: Aili Sarapik