Parempoolsed party elects board and Lavly Perling as chair
On Saturday, the general assembly of the Parempoolsed party convened to elect a new chairperson, board and audit committee. The party re-elected Lavly Perling as its chairperson.
Incumbent Lavly Perling was the only candidate to lead the party and was elected with 265 votes.
The following individuals were elected to the board: Janne Andersoo (73 votes), Jaan Mihkel Uustalu (77), Tarmo Linnamägi (102), Martti Aavik (113), Merle Raun (132), Kadri Kullmann (135), Kati Kuusk (136), Andrus Karelson (138), Sandra Sander (150), Indrek Luberg (151), Tõnis Kons (152), Andres Kaarmann (152), Kristjan Vanaselja (201) and Siim Kiisler (201).
In her speech at the general assembly, Lavly Perling referred to the current path chosen by the Estonian government as one leading to disaster. She highlighted the uncertainty surrounding upcoming tax increases, their duration and scale, as well as the ambiguity regarding the tax burden for the next year, let alone for the next three to five years. This is happening, she noted, at a time when the economy has been in decline for ten consecutive quarters, leaving Estonia in the worst position in Europe.
"Is the current government, with its coalition of three socialists, solely responsible? No, all of today's parliamentary parties have made baseless promises. Nearly all of them have been in power and contributed to the state's spending spree, taking part in the tax and subsidy festival with their own agendas. A weak opposition is as much to blame for this course as the current government," Perling said.
According to Perling, the Parempoolsed party aims to change direction and offer solutions. She referenced the cost-cutting plan the party proposed in 2022.
"We propose a comprehensive solution: decouple, freeze, consolidate and cut. Since we released our cost-cutting plan, state expenses have grown by four billion euros. If only there were the political will and decisiveness to ensure that next year's state budget expenses fit within this year's limits, it would already be a major step toward sound public finances, which are the foundation of financial security," the party leader said.
Perling emphasized the need to reform the education system, shifting resources from construction to teachers, and to reform the healthcare system by increasing individual contributions.
"Solidarity shouldn't mean that everyone is equally worse off. Even the socialists have had to acknowledge the need for individual contributions in recent weeks," she said.
To boost the birth rate, Perling argued that more than just financial incentives are needed. People need security and the knowledge that their children will grow up in a free world where they can choose their own paths and create their own futures.
However, she acknowledged that society will still need to come to terms with major trends, such as aging, urbanization and population decline. Perling said that if Estonia wishes to survive as a nation-state, it needs more labor, which will require abandoning the outdated quota system. This system, she argued, is demotivating for employers, potential immigrants and those working under the quota. At the same time, newcomers must share Estonia's cultural and social values.
Perling also made it clear that the Parempoolsed party does not support any universal benefits.
"As a small digital nation, we are capable of offering tailored state support to each individual, giving them exactly what they need in the areas where they require help. For everyone else, we must create an environment where, through hard work and effort, they can support themselves," she said, criticizing the cut to maternal benefits as a punishment for striving. Instead, she suggested, the time spent at home on paid leave should have been reduced.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Marcus Turovski