European election poll gives two MEP seats each to SDE and Isamaa
There will be little in the way of surprises at the upcoming European elections, with most sitting MEPs set to retain their seats, according to a recent survey, portal Delfi reports.
The only big change is likely to be Isamaa picking up two seats at the Reform Party's expense, the survey, conducted by pollsters Turu-uuringute AS, found.
The Social Democratic Party (SDE) is also projected to win two MEP seats, Turu-uuringute says.
Eesti 200, Reform's partner in the coalition government at home and with 14 Riigikogu seats, would fare even worse, polling at just 3.3 percent according to Turu-uuringute, far below the level required to win a seat.
By candidate, Turu-uuringute finds that current MEPs Marina Kaljurand and Sven Mikser would take the SDE seats – even as Mikser alone would poll at just 1.7 percent – while the two Isamaa seats would go to current incumbent Riho Terras, plus Jüri Ratas, who joined the party early on this year.
The remaining three seats would go to Jaak Madison (EKRE) and Urmas Paet (Reform), both current MEPs, and to either Jana Toom or Mihhail Kõlvart from the Center Party (Kõlvart, Center's leader, has pledged to vacate an MEP seat in favor of Toom, another current MEP, should he win a mandate).
Jaak Madison from EKRE, Urmas Paet from the Reform Party, and Mihhail Kõlvart from the Center Party (who has promised to step aside for Jana Toom if elected) are also likely to secure seats.
Kaljurand is the most-supported individual candidate, with a 13.4 percent rating according to Turu-uuringute, followed by Madison (6.9 percent) and Paet (6.6 percent).
Next come Mihhail Kõlvart (5.5 percent), Ratas (5.4 percent) and Terras (4.8 percent).
These are followed by EKRE leader Martin Helme (4.2 percent), Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu (3.5 percent), Aivar Peterson, the sole candidate running for the pro-Kremlin Koos party (3.3 percent), and Jana Toom at 3.1 percent.
SDE had a support rate of 19.1 percent and Isamaa had 15.3 percent, allowing both to gain two seats.
EKRE lies in third place with 13.2 percent, while the Reform Party is in fourth place with 10.8 percent, narrowly ahead of Center at 10.6 percent.
As noted all these parties are expected to secure one seat each. This is good news for the Center Party, but disappointing for the Reform Party, which had hoped to retain two seats.
Parties not projected to gain any seats according to Turu-uuringute include Koos (3.3 percent), Parempoolsed (2.5 percent), and the Estonian Greens (1.0 percent), in addition to Eesti 200.
Delfi reported that the Turu-uuringute survey was conduted May 9-22 and quizzed 1,009 respondents.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Andrew Whyte
