According to a survey commissioned by NGO Institute for Societal Studies and conducted online by Norstat from June 27-28, 23 percent of respondents preferred Hanno Pevkur as prime minister, while 18 percent favored Kristen Michal. However, 59 percent of respondents had no preference between the two.

On Saturday, the Reform Party's board nominated Michal as their candidate for prime minister, to succeed Kaja Kallas, who had been nominated by European Union leaders as a candidate for the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy and promised to step down in mid-July. Pevkur announced on Friday that he would not run for prime minister.

Among Reform Party supporters, Pevkur had slightly more support than Michal: 40 percent preferred Pevkur, while 38 percent preferred Michal.

When asked which party leader people would prefer as prime minister, including Michal and Pevkur, Urmas Reinsalu received the highest support at 24 percent. He was followed by the Center Party chairman Mihhail Kõlvart with 13 percent, the Conservative People's Party (EKRE) chairman Martin Helme with 12 percent and both Pevkur and Michal with 8 percent each. The Social Democratic Party (SDE) chairman Lauri Läänemets and Parempoolsed leader Lavly Perling each received 6 percent and Eesti 200 chairman, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, received 2 percent. Twenty-three percent of respondents had no preference.

Norstat also asked respondents who they would prefer if Michal and Pevkur faced off against the most popular candidate, Reinsalu. The question was phrased: "If you could only choose between two options, who would be a more suitable prime minister for Estonia?" Thirty-seven percent chose Reinsalu, 30 percent chose Pevkur and 34 percent did not have a preference. When Michal was the alternative to Pevkur, 42 percent chose Reinsalu, 26 percent chose Michal and 32 percent said "don't know."

Additionally, respondents were asked their opinion on the car tax. Seventy-four percent opposed or somewhat opposed the introduction of a motor vehicle tax, 21 percent somewhat supported or supported it and 5 percent were undecided.

Opposition to the car tax was highest among EKRE supporters at 99 percent, followed by Isamaa at 93 percent, the Center Party at 91 percent, Parempoolsed at 62 percent, Eesti 200 at 60 percent and the Social Democrats at 54 percent. Among Reform Party supporters, 67 percent supported the car tax, while 28 percent opposed it.

The Norstat survey was conducted online from June 27-28 among Estonian citizens aged 18 and older, with a total of 1,010 respondents.

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