Isamaa not rushing to decide on joining EKRE in Kallas no confidence motion
Isamaa is in no rush to decide whether to join in with the opposition Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform), the party's Rigiikogu group chair, Priit Sibul, says.
Isamaa is also in opposition, and was in office with EKRE and Center until January this year.
Sibul told ERR's radio news Thursday afternoon that: "There could even be reason behind this, but at the moment it is too early to say, because as far as the state budget strategy and the public sector cuts [discussed in] recent days are concerned - in terms of orchestras, chaplains and other notables, our group still gets the impression that this is still the tip of the iceberg."
A motion of no confidence cannot be based solely on emotion, he added.
"I would first try to understand what the government's real plan is, and then we can decide whether to enter a motion of no confidence on, whom to enter motion of no confidence towards, and what the exact reasons are," Sibul went on.
Sibul added that his Riigikogu group had not discussed the motion yet.
EKRE's motion of no confidence, if it goes ahead, revolves around claims potential defense spending cuts represent a threat to Estonia's security.
With 19 MPs, EKRE need two more signatures from MPs from other parties to get the motion to go ahead. Since the Social Democrats (SDE) are the polar opposite of EKRE, and Center are in office with Reform, Isamaa, who have 12 seats are the obvious source for the required two votes.
Isamaa is also seeing internal tensions over the direction the party will take ahead of the October local elections, while the party's leader, Helir Valdor-Seeder, faces a challenge from former prosecutor general Lavly Perling, who has declared she will run in the leadership vote, which will take place at the party's general assembly.
Seeder himself has proposed holding this on June 20.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte