Survey: Coalition's fiscal policy decisions largely unpopular with the public
In the survey, commissioned by conservative think tank the Institute of Societal Studies (MTÜ Ühiskonnauuringute Instituut) and conducted by pollsters Norstat, respondents were asked to evaluate the most important decisions on taxes and expenditures made by the current Reform-SDE-Eesti 200 government, in office since April 2023.
Respondents assessed a total of 22 different decisions, rating their support for that decision on a four-point scale.
The results reveal that the most unpopular decision has been not the car tax or austerity measures, but rather the hike in electricity excise duties. Just 11 percent of respondents stated they supported this move, compared with 85 percent who said they opposed it (undecided respondents made up the balance).
Conversely, the most popular coalition decision according to the poll has been the rise in the minimum wage, which found support from 90 percent of respondents and was opposed by only 6 percent.
In total, nine governmental decisions received support from fewer than 20 percent of respondents. These include the registration fee for the first sale of used cars, the removal of the land tax exemption for primary residences, the abandonment of income tax exemptions for average pensions, and the removal of income tax benefits for children and spouses.
Measures supported by 20-30 percent of respondents come to six.
The car tax policy falls in this range: Twenty-two percent of respondents said they backed this tax, compared with 73 percent who are in opposition.
Two decisions picked up more than 30 percent support, but below 40 percent, namely the elimination of free county bus transport (backed by 32 percent) and the abolition of the "tax hump" (supported by 39 percent).
Most counties had offered free bus travel within the county itself and to local residents, similar to the long-running scheme in Tallinn, since 2018, but this was more recently largely phased out.
The final category of decisions and reactions to them are those which the majority support, ie. over 50 percent.
In addition to the minimum wage rise, a reduction in the circulation of 1- and 2-cent coinage also proved popular.
Other more well-received measures, according to the poll, include hiking the advance income tax rate levied on banks, hiking alcohol and tobacco excise duties, and allowing voluntary rises in second-pillar pension contributions.
Additionally, respondents were asked about this recent proposal relating to the state budget: "Do you support the across-the-board cut plan, meaning each ministry must cut its budget by a fixed 5-7 percent?"
This would apply to all 11 of Estonia's ministries, save for the Ministry of Defense, given the current security situation.
On this question, 65 percent of respondents replied "yes" or "preferably yes," 22 percent said "preferably not" or "no," while 13 percent responded "don't know."
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Editor: Andrew Whyte