Jaak Madison, who recently announced his decision to join the Center Party, stated that he could have comfortably spent five years in the European Parliament and then decided what to do next. However, his goal is to help transform the Center Party into a conservative people's party that would perform well in next year's local elections and then in the 2027 Riigikogu elections, with the primary aim of preventing the Reform Party from returning to power.

"The most important goal is to have 55 conservatives in the Riigikogu by 2027. I hope that EKRE will cross the electoral threshold. But it is possible to build the Center Party into a strong people's party that can represent people regardless of their native language or age," Madison said.

He expressed a firm belief that the Center Party's chairman, Mihhail Kõlvart, wants to establish a conservative axis within the party. Madison dismissed as insignificant the accusations made by the host regarding alleged pro-Russian sentiments within the Center Party or by some of its current leaders, particularly Jana Toom.

"It's important to look at the official party program rather than the statements of a few individual members. And when we talk about the Center Party, its chairman is a member of the Defense League. He devotes his free time to it, unlike many of his critics."

Regarding MEP Jana Toom, Madison stated that individual members, even if they are leading figures within the party, cannot define the party's stance.

"Moreover, both Mihhail Kõlvart and I have consciously emphasized that Estonia's national defense needs more serious investments, and to achieve this, we must immediately take out a national defense loan."

Madison added that if the Center Party performs as well as he hopes and gains entry into the government, he is willing to leave the European Parliament and return to Estonia.

"I have always said that the main goal is not to be in the European Parliament, but to be in Estonia. To be in a position where you can direct and influence life in Estonia. If we can push through our agenda in two and a half years, I will definitely return," Madison promised.

At the beginning of the interview, Madison was played a clip from a few months ago on ETV's "Esimene stuudio," where he said that he dislikes political "prostitutes" who jump from one party to another. Madison clarified that he was referring to those who are conservatives one day and liberals the next and that he gave that interview at a time when he was still trying to keep EKRE together as its vice-chairman.

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