Reinsalu said that it is possible the Social Democrats will not support stripping Russian citizens in Estonia of their right to vote in local elections because they want to go after those votes themselves. "It is possible that is one reason the Social Democrats have not agreed to do it," he suggested.

The Isamaa head said that he sees the shift in power in Tallinn as a major opportunity. "I believe this window of opportunity needs to be seized to introduce major value-based change. The return and reintroduction of pro-Estonian sentiment and the Estonian language."

The politician said that the matter of the voting rights of third-country citizens has gotten stuck on the national level. "The way we see it, it should be on the agenda in Tallinn as a matter of values. It is connected to Tallinn at the very core and cannot really be isolated," Reinsalu noted, adding that the party's Tallinn branch will discuss its positions Thursday.

Isamaa is convinced that parties that make up the ruling coalition on Toompea Hill are pursuing poor policy on the national level. "Therefore, we need to have clarity and the conviction that similar policy will not follow in Tallinn," Reinsalu said.

Social Democratic Party (SDE) leader Lauri Läänemets said Wednesday that Isamaa are stalling the start of coalition talks in the capital and wish to talk about nationwide policy at local coalition talks, which SDE are not willing to do.

"A coalition should make consensual decisions. That the duties and taxes people have to pay wouldn't be hiked also on the local level. A land tax hike is already in the pipeline in Tallinn, which we would like to see canceled. Those same coalition partners are also planning to amend local governments' revenue base. These things are inevitably tied to national politics, and we want to understand the agenda based on which Tallinn's revenue base may be adjusted," Reinsalu said, adding that it would also be good if Tallinners could avoid the planned car tax.

Regarding postings, Reinsalu said that while Jüri Ratas would make a good Tallinn mayor, he is concentrating on European Parliament elections.

Isamaa also haven't decided whether Ratas will run for the Board of the Riigikogu, Reinsalu said, adding that Ratas has done a fine job as Riigikogu vice president for the opposition so far.

He admitted that it's possible pro-Kremlin parties could appear in Estonia in the wake of continued marginalization of the Center Party. "It's definitely possible. But despite the political polemic surrounding it, the [Center] party still exists today. It is another matter what kind of agenda Center will pursue themselves," the Isamaa head suggested.

The starting position in Tallinn needs to be that people will not find it harder to cope, and that the services that exist today, whether free or not, would be retained, Reinsalu noted.

"We believe that putting green transition pressure on drivers works to add to traffic confusion and the general stress level. We strongly feel that the current city government's policy needs adjusting there."

Reinsalu said that former Centrists have not expressed the desire to join Isamaa since the Tuesday no-confidence vote in Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart passed. "But they can come knocking if they want," he added.

The Isamaa chairman described the Conservative People's Party's (EKRE) decision not to join the no-confidence motion at the last minute as a "conjunctural political maneuver" the logic behind which he never fully grasped.

Urmas Reinsalu also said that he is not worried about Isamaa becoming too much like Center after several former members have joined its ranks, as well as that the party has no plans to try and convince Parempoolsed to rejoin.

Isamaa's core message for the European Parliament elections is that Europe must do more for security. "That we need to support the competitiveness of the European economy, industrial development, energy sector and strongly oppose stifling bureaucracy. The [recent] planned economy path to realizing the green transition is not economically sustainable either," Reinsalu said.

He suggested reforming the CO2 quota system. "It was my proposal that became the previous government's position. To have a clearly and sensibly provided quota price that would lend business a measure of predictability."

"I can see efforts to lay down the climate law in a kind of top-down enactive manner in Estonia. I get a lot of fiercely critical feedback from entrepreneurs. My message to the esteemed climate minister is to put a moratorium on this thing," Reinsalu remarked.

The party leader also said that he is not running for the European Parliament just as a so-called decoy duck for Isamaa, and that it is possible to run a political party from Europe.

Solman: Coalition agreement needs to include stripping aggressor states' citizens of right to vote

Isamaa deputy chair Riina Solman told ERR that taking away the local government council election right of Russian citizens is Isamaa's condition for a coalition in the capital.

"It is a core matter for Isamaa as concerns national security and one of the most important aspects of how things are done in Tallinn. This coalition agreement must include revoking the voting right of aggressor state citizens," Solman said.

"If the Reform Party and its partners on Toompea Hill – the same parties we will be negotiating with in Tallinn – agree to make the change, I believe we will make headway quickly."

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