Prime minister: No coalition shuffle in the works
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) has refuted claims that her party might drop Eesti 200 from the coalition if Center MPs who are planning to quit their party in favor of the Social Democrats give the latter enough seats for a two-way coalition.
Kallas told Postimees that this is a spin she suspects is being circulated by Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu in order to cause the Reform Party, the Social Democratic Party (SDE) and Eesti 200 to fall out.
"There is nothing of the sort," Kallas emphasized. "I am sick of coalition talks."
The ruling coalition currently has 61 seats in the 101-member parliament, with the Reform Party counting on the votes of 38 MPs, Eesti 200 14 and SDE 9. The opposition Center Party still had 13 delegates at the time of writing.
It is probable that up to six Center MPs will announce their resignation from the party on Friday. Tanel Kiik and Jaak Aab have signaled they are preparing to join the Social Democrats, while it is likely others will follow suit.
While the politicians cannot officially join the SDE group in the Riigikogu, there is nothing stopping them from joining the Social Democrats in voting a certain way, effectively growing the latter's parliamentary influence from the current nine seats to an effective 12-15. This would allow Reform to form a new coalition with just SDE.
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Editor: Marcus Turovski
