Reform's Secretary General Timo Suslov told ERR: "Yes, he has submitted a statement, and I can confirm that," adding that the reason was health issues.

When an MP leaves the Riigikogu for any reason, the regulations require an alternate member to be appointed instead. In this case Jüri Jaanson will take up the position, Suslov said.

While the next on the list would be Irina Talviste, the latter has indicated that she will not be taking up the position, Suslov noted.

Siim Kallas, 75, is a Reform Party co-founder and its current honorary chair.

He addressed the Reform Party and its MPs in a statement Friday morning, saying: "This era we have gone through together is far from an insignificant one."

"It has shaped a much larger part of the history of the Republic of Estonia than we could have imagined 25 years ago. Five election victories, five governments led by our side. Let us preserve Estonia, as we have formed it. This is worth it," he continued.

As for his next steps, Kallas said that he is putting the finishing touches to a book on the history of liberal politics, its people and its concepts, and has no intention of abandoning the classically liberal ideology which the Reform Party was founded to promote.

Reform Party Riigikogu faction leader Õnne Pillak stated in a press release that Siim Kallas laid the foundations of the Reform Party, and has strived for several decades to ensure Estonia is a free, strong, and progressive country.

Pillak noted: "His contribution to building and leading the Estonian state has been significant and symbolic.

"His dedication to and passion for politics have been exemplary, and have inspired many an ambitious individual to enter politics down the years. The success story of the re-independent Estonia is in many ways Siim Kallas' life's work, and he has been one of the key advocates for the liberal values and freedoms we are proud of here in Estonia. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Siim," Pillak concluded.

Siim Kallas was prime minister 2002-2003, Estonia's European commissioner over two terms, 2004-2014, a government minister in the 1990s and early 200s, and has also served as President of the Bank of Estonia (1991-1995) and more recently was Mayor of Viimsi Municipality (2017-2019). He was elected to the VIII, IX, X, XIV and XV (current) Riigikogu. 

He is the father of former prime minister Kaja Kallas.

Siim Kallas ran in Tallinn City Center, Lasnamäe, and Pirita district at the 2023 Riigikogu elections, clinching a seat with 7,393 votes.

Founded in 1994, the Reform Party, nicknamed "the squirrels" (Estonian: Oravad), has followed an economically classically liberal free market stance, along with a largely socially liberal platform. Its cornerstone policies of balanced budgets, zero percent corporate tax on re-invested income, no VAT hikes and a flat rate income tax below 20 percent were coming under pressure even before the current economic contraction and stage budget deficit, though it has been consistent in pursuing austerity measures during tougher times.

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