"We decided to end the cooperation with the Center Party in Tallinn. We took into account the various factors that we have also highlighted publicly over the past week," said Ossinovski.

The two parties have led the council since the local elections in 2021.

Ossinovski said two things became decisive in the party's decision.  

"We do not believe that this cooperation will work in the long run, also given that the internal disintegration of the Center Party has brought news of more MPs leaving the Center Party and our majority is already small. And we know that there are still quite a number of those out there who are looking for a new political home. And, on the other hand, last week's decision by the Tallinn District Court also added such an extra ethical layer to it, and it was the combination of the two that resulted in this decision," Ossinovski said.

Kõlvart: We will continue the political struggle

Kõlvart told ERR on Monday night a new coalition would not benefit the capital's residents.

"If all the parties unite against the Center Party in the city council, this means that a grand coalition of four parties should be formed. I think the kind of governance we would face is not effective. But we are also seeing what this pattern of leadership is in the country. The same parties want to come to power in Tallinn," said Kõlvart, referencing the Reform-SDE-Eesti 200 government coalition.

"I do not see that this style of management – lying – would be good for the people of Tallinn. We will certainly continue the political fight and see what the future brings," he said.

ERR asked Kõlvart if Center would consider forming a coalition with EKRE to stay in power.

"Today we started from the premise that we have a coalition with the Social Democrats. There is no substantive reason why it should be scrapped. We behaved respectably, we did not have parallel negotiations and we do not have an agreement with one party or the other that we are ready to form a new coalition with anyone immediately. Now that all the parties are united against the Center Party, we have to give this grand coalition time," he said.

Pärtel-Peeter Pere, leader of the Reform faction, said the party would offer SDE the position of mayor.

"Now that the Social Democrats have made the right decision and have joined the no-confidence motion and will come tomorrow, then of course. What has been said before, that the Social Democrats can get the mayor's chair, I don't see that changing in any way," Pere said.

He said, that if a new coalition forms without Center, then the party's networks in the council would need to be broken. Dozens of people will probably lose their jobs.

No confidence motion scheduled for Tuesday morning

The city council will hold an extraordinary session on Tuesday morning. The no-confidence motion is the only item on the agenda and will need 40 votes to pass. The council has 79 members.

Last week, 37 members submitted the motion. The majority of those who signed were from the opposition parties, Reform, EKRE, Eesti 200, and Isamaa.

The members moved to push Kõlvart and Center out of power after a court ruling issued a €1 million to the party over influence peddling.

Kõlvart was elected chairman of the Center party last year and several MPs have left since, saying the party lacks direction.

Center has governed Tallinn, mostly alone, for almost 20 years. Kõlvart has been mayor since 2019.

Last week, ERR looked at potential coalition options without Center. In most cases, SDE would hold a "kingmaker" role.

This article was updated to add comments from Mihhail Kõlvart and Pärtel-Peeter Pere.

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