Talve, who has had to leave the Social Democratic Party (SDE) in order to run as an independent, said Wednesday: "I am running in the European Parliament elections as an independent candidate in order to fully dedicate myself to the development of our community-based society, something which is greatly influenced by the decisions made at the European Parliament."

Talve listed his three main focuses at the European legislature, were he to be elected, as cutting bureaucracy, which he says oppresses rural living, boosting support for entrepreneurial communities both in rural and urban areas and bringing to the European Parliament the grounded thinking of rural people.

Talve ran against party chair Lauri Läänemets at the SDE congress on March 16, garnering 45 votes to Läänemets's 259, meaning the latter was re-elected.

Talve's CV includes stints as a journalist and co-founder of a smart public transport solutions firm, as well as having been an MP at the XIII Riigikogu (2015-2019).

Partly because European elections in Estonia are more personality- than party-based, many independents run; the last independent candidate to be elected to the European Parliament was Indrek Tarand, in 2014.

Polling day in Estonia is Sunday, June 9.

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