EKRE leader: Helir-Valdor Seeder touted as possible next prime minister

Isamaa chair Helir-Valdor Seeder could head up a coalition comprising Center and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), the latter's leader, Martin Helme, said following a meeting of the three parties at the Riigikogu Wednesday.
At the same time, Helme said that the idea was rejected by Center and Isamaa, adding that he did not want to dwell on who the next prime minister might be or how ministerial posts might be divided up.
"This whole debate demonstrates that no one has painted themselves in any single position," Helme added.
Center chair Jüri Ratas' answer as to who might make a better premier – Seeder or Helme – when that question was posed to him by ERR, answered that: "That is an interesting question. I think that Isamaa could run this government freely," though denied that the latter party had asked about the prime ministerial post specifically
Isamaa's Riigikogu chief whip, Priit Sibul, did however concede to ERR that the topic of a potential Isamaa prime minister had been addressed at the meeting, adding that: "I don't think that's the most important issue today by any stretch."
Sibul would not divulge who raised the matter or how potential coalition partners reacted.
"It seems to me that if this should remain the main issue, there would be nothing leftover," he went on.
While Isamaa met with EKRE and Center to scope out possible common ground on coalition talks, Isamaa did the same with Reform and the Social Democrats (SDE) earlier on Wednesday.
The party has said it will choose between the two possible alignments by Saturday.
No other potential alignment has been mentioned, though others could reach a majority at the 101-seat Riigikogu.
Since Friday, Reform and Kaja Kallas have remained in office as a minority government, after the prime minister dismissed the seven Center Party ministers.
Editor: Andrew Whyte