The Riigikog last week rejected a bill that would have legalized the use of license plate recognition cameras and their data by the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) after Interior Minister Igor Taro (Eesti 200) suspended their use, following media reports about the extent of the tech's use raised data protection concerns.

The PPA now will not be able to use license plate recognition cameras in this way for at least six months. Läänemets is Taro's predecessor as interior minister, from July 2022 to March this year.

Speaking towards the end of Sunday's SDE general assembly, Lauristin, who was an MEP 2014-2017, said that the party's current decision-making processes are not up to the task, in a society which now has Artificial Intelligence (AI).

"Artificial intelligence makes decisions about very complex things in seconds; we take eight years and still can't decide. I'll give a simple example, as I was involved in it myself. That same unfortunate story with the police cameras. I'm looking at you too, Lauri. You didn't come to ask me anything when they were under your authority," Lauristin said.

Lauristin recalled that when she was an MEP, she worked extensively on data protection and on a specific directive which established the rules for surveillance of individuals.

"You didn't come to ask me anything when the cameras were under your authority," Lauristin went on.

"Then it was said there that member states must specify those points in their own legislation. Where the public interest is, where the rules are. That was in 2018. Seven years have passed, and now we say, 'oh dear, what happened'. That we have cameras up, which perhaps we're not even allowed?!"

"The [EU] regulation clearly stated that large-scale surveillance of people, as a particularly high-risk measure, must go via a separate risk assessment, through data protection, and must be defined by a separate law," she continued.

The wider use of AI provides new opportunities in Estonia, but also amplifies inequality, Lauristin added.

While Estonia was prepared to be the guinea pig, on an EU basis, for the implementation of AI in schools, "that may yield very excellent results, but AI amplifies everything, including inequality. If AI enhances talent and diligence on one hand, then what to do so that it doesn't amplify neglect," Lauristin continued.

Lauristin also noted that in a digital country one should not fear direct democracy, but boldly pursue it.

"If we take ourselves seriously, then we have time, but we must prepare. Prepare so that, first, we allow Estonian society to learn from its own mistakes in the next elections. And second, we must be ready to lead the way and seek allies to bring real change. We have the values, but the action plan is still lacking," she said.

Looking ahead to the October local election and beyond, the SDE honorary chair said the party's goal should be to win the Riigikogu election after next, i.e., in 2031.

"[SDE secretary general] Piret [Hartman] pledged that we'll be the prime minister's party in two years. I would venture to doubt that. I check our ratings every week, and not just the overall rating, but by municipalities, by age groups, by education levels, by gender, and by income. There are things to be happy about, but also things to worry about. If I look at the ratings by municipality, then we can praise each other here, but the voter is not praising us."

Lauristin added SDE's status as the most popular party with the under 24 age group was a good thing, but despite this, there was little talk about youth within the party.

Isamaa will likely win the next Riigikogu election in 2027, Lauristin said, based on current trends, and would go on to form a coalition either with Mihhail Kõlvart's Centre Party or Kristen Michal's Reform Party.

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