Marek Reinaas elected chair of freshman Eesti 200 parliamentary group
Convening for the first time on Monday, the MPs-elect of Riigikogu newcomers Eesti 200 formed a parliamentary group and elected Marek Reinaas its chair.
Kadri Tali and Toomas Uibo were elected deputy chairs, the new coalition party announced.
The parliamentary group likewise decided to nominate candidates for the chairs of four Riigikogu committees, including Liisa Pakosta for chair of the European Union Affairs Committee, Igor Taro chair for of the Constitutional Committee, Kalev Stoicescu for chair of the National Defense Committee and Tarmo Tamm for chair of the Environment Committee.
Ossinovski to chair Social Democrats group
The coalition Social Democratic Party (SDE) parliamentary group likewise convened Monday and elected Jevgeni Ossinovski its chair and Helmen Kütt its deputy chair.
Other members of the SDE group include Lauri Läänemets, Riina Sikkut, Madis Kallas, Heljo Pikhof, Tiit Maran, Raimond Kaljulaid and Anti Allas.
Of these, three have been tapped to serve as ministers in Kaja Kallas' (Reform) third cabinet: Läänemets as minister of the interior, Sikkut as minister of health and Kallas as minister of regional and rural affairs.
Replacing Läänemets' seat in the Riigikogu will be Eduard Odinets, who just resigned as party secretary general last week. Kallas, meanwhile, will be replaced by alternate Reili Rand, and Sikkut by Kastre Municipal Mayor Priit Lomp.
Who will be nominated to chair the Riigikogu committees allotted to the SDE by the new coalition agreement will be discussed by the group on Wednesday.
As announced over the weekend already, the coalition Reform Party's parliamentary group in the incoming, XV Riigikogu will be chaired by Erkki Keldo, with Liina Kersna and Yoko Alender elected group deputy chairs.
Sixty-seat majority
Following the conclusion of talks initiated three days after the conclusion of the 2023 Riigikogu elections on March 5, the election-winning Reform Party is due to sign a recently unveiled coalition agreement with Eesti 200 and the Social Democratic Party (SDE).
Reform won 37 seats in the XV Riigikogu. Together with Eesti 200's 14 and the SDE's 9 seats, the incoming coalition will command a 60-seat majority in Estonia's 101-seat unicameral parliament.
Upon taking office, the incoming coalition government will mark Prime Minister Kaja Kallas' (Reform) third cabinet.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
