The poll, conducted by Norstat on behalf of conservative think tank the Institute for Societal Studies (MTÜ Ühiskonnauuringute Instituut), found that 47 percent viewed the no-confidence motion, which passed early last week, unfavorably, compared with 38 percent who approved of the development.

Among native Estonian-speaking respondents, 62 percent said they approved of the no-confidence motion in former mayor Kõlvart.

With respondents from "other nationalities," largely meaning Russian-speaking respondents, that figure fell to 12 percent, according to Norstat.

Norstat's question on the no-confidence motion was phrased: "The Tallinn City Council has expressed no confidence in Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart. What is your opinion on this no-confidence motion?"

The options were: "Disapprove," "Disapprove somewhat," "Approve somewhat," and "Approve," as well as a "Don't know" option.

A total of 47 percent as noted replied "Disapprove" or "Disapprove somewhat," compared with 38 percent who answered "Approve" or "Approve somewhat."

Fifteen percent responded "Don't know."

Among Estonian respondents, 62 percent overall approve of the motion, according to the poll, while 25 percent disapprove.

The results among those of other nationalities is almost the reverse of this: 72 percent said they disapproved; 12 percent that they approved of the motion.

Norstat also quizzed respondents about Kõlvart's performance as mayor, which had on the whole been seen as competent despite his apparent lack of support as Center Party leader evidenced in some other surveys.

It asked. "How do you think Mihhail Kõlvart has performed as mayor?"

On this, 21 percent overall answered "Very poorly" or "Somewhat poorly."

On the other hand, two-thirds answered "Quite well" or "Very well," with 13 percent undecided.

By ethnicity, Kõlvart had a 50-percent approval rating among Estonian respondents, and as high as an 83 percent rating from respondents of other nationalities.

With the ousting of the Center Party from office in the capital, the future of free public transportation in Tallinn has been called into question too.

On the question: "Do you think free public transport should be abolished in Tallinn?" 82 percent responded "No" or "Preferably not," 14 percent with "Preferably yes" or "Yes," and four percent responded "Don't know."

The vast majority of Estonian respondents and respondents of other nationalities alike said they opposed the abolition of free public transport, which has been in place in Tallinn for over a decade now.

On the morning of last Tuesday, March 26, Tallinn City Council narrowly expressed no confidence in Mihhail Kõlvart as mayor, resulting in the Center Party being out of office in the capital for the first time in 18 years.

Commenting on the poll's results, Martin Mölder, associate professor at the University of Tartu's Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, said the Center Party is now more dependent on non-Estonian, ie. predominantly Russian-speaking, voters, than ever before.

Following last September's change in leadership at the top of the Center Party, which saw Kõlvart installed as chair, the party's overall support across the country has fallen, with almost all of this decline due to the hemorrhaging of support from native Estonian-speaking voters.

Mölder said: "However, voters from other nationalities in Tallinn and elsewhere in Estonia continue to support the Center Party steadily and overwhelmingly."

"When considering the population of Tallinn alone, it should not come as a surprise given that about half of Tallinn's population are non-Estonians, including a significant number of stateless individuals and Russian citizens, in addition to Estonian citizens of Russian ethnicity," he went on.

"Overall, there are over 70,000 Russian citizens living permanently in Estonia," Mölder added.

Estonian citizens of any ethnicity can vote in Riigikogu, European and local elections, whereas Russian citizens resident in Estonia, and stateless individuals – those resident in Estonia who have no citizenship of any state – can vote in local elections only.

Norstat conducted the above online survey from March 28 to April 2, polling a total of 971 Tallinn residents aged 16 and above.

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