A motion of no confidence in Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart (Center) will be put to a vote tomorrow morning.

"It would surprise me if EKRE delegates even showed up for the council sitting tomorrow. Looking at what [EKRE head] Martin Helme has said, he has suggested that the current Tallinn coalition should be ended, but also that the alternative would be even worse. It is a rather concrete message in terms of plans EKRE and Center may have for the capital," Läänemets told ERR at noon on Monday.

He said the looming election of the Riigikogu president and vice presidents also needs to be considered.

"Center and EKRE are setting up a mutual candidate to suggest they have made a deal in the Riigikogu. Most EKRE Tallinn City Council delegates are alternate members today. Their powers are about to expire and they'll be replaced by the heavy cavalry from Toompea Hill so to speak. These are all signs to suggest that something far more interesting and startling for the people of Tallinn is unfolding," Läänemets noted.

The SDE chair said that the impression left today where EKRE is going along with expressing no confidence in Kõlvart might not really be the case.

"We might see EKRE delegates throw in with the mayor instead at one point. Everyone thinks that the relevant question is whether SDE will be part of a new coalition. And yes, SDE is the pointer of balance and the main decision-maker so to speak, but it is just as important to ask whether Tallinn might end up with a coalition of Center and EKRE. We need a close eye on both. There are different signs on the breeze, and I wouldn't rule anything out at this stage."

Läänemets said again that he would be very surprised to see all 37 delegates who initiated Kõlvart's no-confidence motion show up for the vote Tuesday.

"We have seen it before how such tricks can be used to oust someone from the coalition they're in and to replace them," the SDE leader remarked.

ERR reported last Friday that while SDE is the kingmaker in the process of expressing no confidence in the city government, a coalition between Center and EKRE is a theoretical possibility. Igor Gräzin's recent exit leaves Center with 33 mandates, while EKRE have six for a total of 39. A majority requires 40 seats in the 79-seat council. Therefore, while Center and EKRE only need another mandate for a possible coalition, it would be a very narrow majority.

But Läänemets suggested the delegate may already have been found.

"It only requires finding one more person. Perhaps they have already been found. /.../ I cannot say."

By noon on Monday, SDE had not yet made a decision of whether to go along with the Tuesday morning no-confidence motion. The party currently shares a coalition in Tallinn with Kõlvart's Center Party.

Läänemets also said that he has not been in touch with Kõlvart as he does not want to get involved in local coalitions as party leader.

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