Veldre made his announcement at Thursday's Paide City Council meeting, later telling the media that: "I have held different visions in city management and decision-making choices, which has strained the situation and relations with coalition partners, sometimes unnecessarily.

"In order to stand for the platform of the Inimeste Linna electoral alliance in Paide and for stable city governance and also for the views SDE in the county and the state, I have chosen to resign from the post of mayor, as of October 31," Veldre went on, adding that as leader of SDE's Järva County branch, he will be focusing on the general election taking place next March.

Veldre was elected mayor at the end of May, meaning he has held office for less than five months. Prior to that, he was head of the city government's social department, and before that was an advisor to the Ministry of the Interior's law enforcement and criminal policy department.

Veldre's resignation also means the three-member city government will be wound up. Once a new mayor has been voted in at the council chambers, they will appoint the new city government line-up.

Paide has a population of a little under 8,000. It hosts the annual Festival of Opinions (Arvamusfest).

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