"Tallinn coalition talks are nearing the home stretch, and the new mayor will likely be picked from the ranks of the Social Democrats," a weekly newsletter sent to members Sunday reads. But the letter provides little in terms of additional details.

SDE and the remaining three sides to Tallinn's coalition talks – Reform, Eesti 200 and Isamaa – have largely refrained from commenting on the potential distribution of positions so far. It has been suggested that posts should be hashed out as the last thing to avoid relevant disagreements getting in the way of a possible coalition agreement.

Speculation in the media and political circles suggests SDE should get the mayor's office as the party decided to leave its coalition with the Center Party which allowed the no-confidence motion against Mayor Mihhail Kõlvart (Center) to succeed.

The names of Jevgeni Ossinovski and current Acting Mayor Madle Lippus have been thrown around. Speaking in Ossinovski's favor is that he is believed to be the only politician capable of steering and keeping together a coalition of four partners, while he would have to give up his Riigikogu mandate to join the city government, and the new coalition's very slight majority in the Tallinn City Council might still make it short-lived.

The four parties want to have a coalition agreement in place and distribute positions in the city system by Wednesday.

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