Postimees, in its editorial, notes that while Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) claims the new government is as different from the previous one as night and day, the actual changes appear to be mostly cosmetic.

"Some positions have been given new names and new people have joined the government, but it remains unclear whether anything will truly change. It seems unlikely."

The newspaper calls the [potential] renaming of the Climate Ministry a superficial change. "If the ministry's name change is not accompanied by a structural reform, then in reality, nothing actually changes."

Regarding Eesti 200's new ministers, Postimees raises concerns about the candidate for regional and agricultural minister, Hendrik Terras, questioning whether he has any experience relative to the responsibilities of the position.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur (Reform), who has been criticized for delays in arms procurements, will remain in office. According to Postimees, this decision requires a public explanation, specifically addressing whether the concerns raised by former Defense Ministry Permanent Secretary Kusti Salm and former Commander of the Estonian Defense Forces (EDF) Martin Herem have been properly considered and whether the necessary conclusions have been drawn.

Delfi, in its editorial, argues that following the announcement of the new ministerial candidates, Prime Minister Kristen Michal is unlikely to face strong internal opposition to his initiatives within the government.

"None of the newly appointed ministers are of a caliber that would pose a challenge to him."

Even Michal's strongest potential rival within the Reform Party, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, has been significantly weakened by last week's criticism from former high-ranking defense officials and military personnel. "It's a relief that he even managed to stay in office," Delfi concludes.

With skillful leadership, Estonia could enter the next elections in a much stronger, more confident and better-protected position, Delfi suggests. However, it also warns of two major risks.

"First, too much power can blind. Making important decisions too quickly may lead to ignoring valid criticism or steamrolling over dissent in ways that cannot be considered democratic."

The second major risk concerns the possibility of failure. "This could trigger a massive wave of disappointment that would fuel not only the 'mainstream opposition' such as Isamaa but also more extreme and divisive forces. In that case, our foreign adversary would already have half the victory in hand before Estonia's national defense is even truly put to the test."

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