However none of the committee members from Reform's coalition partners: Eesti 200, Isamaa or the Social Democrats (SDE), voted in favor of the proposal, which has split the ruling coalition in the capital, but rather abstained.

The main council vote on the bill takes place on Thursday, on the same day the Tallinn supplementary budget is to be voted on.

Finance committee chair Jaak Juske (SDE) said: "Yes, a majority of the committee supported it. Of course, on Thursday, all council members have the opportunity to demand a new vote on these amendments."

If a majority supports the abolition of kindergarten fees on Thursday, the funds are included in the supplementary budget, Juske noted, but then again the city's legal acts must be brought into line with the decision.

According to Juske, the committee reviewed nine amendment proposals to the supplementary budget, approved two from the Reform Party, rejected those from the Center Party, and voted to send the bill to the city council for a final vote on Thursday.

Tallinn Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE) said that the coalition is ready to seek agreement and compromise.

"If we want to work in the coalition — and I have that desire, and Isamaa and Eesti 200 and the Reform Party have also confirmed today that the desire exists — then the next step is that the kindergarten fees and all other issues must be resolved before Thursday. We must reach a consensus on how we will move forward," Ossinovski said.

Juske said that SDE did not vote against the Reform Party's amendment proposal, but declined to specify whether they voted in favor or abstained. However, the finance committee's own website states that the amendment proposal was supported by Reform Party councilors Mati Raidma, Kaupo Nõlvak, Enn Listra, Gaspar Šabad, plus Mart Kallas (EKRE). All other committee members abstained from voting.

Negotiations between coalition partners on how to resolve the current deadlock in the longer term will continue ahead of Thursday's City Council session, according to Juske. "There may still be developments in the meantime. But in any case, the supplementary budget is on the agenda for Thursday's City Council session, and the council will make some sort of decision," he said.

Even as his party have stated their opposition to Reform's proposal to scrap kindergarten fees in the capital, Juske stressed SDE's overall belief is that kindergarten places should be free of charge nationwide.

Reform's city council faction leader Mati Raidma meanwhile said he hopes that while coalition partners do not support abolishing kindergarten fees this year, discussions will continue at the city government level with that end in mind.

"I also hope that in the city government, the process continues and coalition partners and we together will sit around the table, discuss, and try to find solutions," Raidma said.

The supplementary budget passed its first reading at Tallinn city council the week before last.

Supplementary budgets are issued at local and national government level to top up the main annual budget where needed.

The bulk of the €8.2 million in the supplementary budget in Tallinn would, if it passes, be spent on emergency shelters, and bring the overall budget for 2025 in the capital to €1.3 billion.

Tensions in Tallinn's ruling coalition erupted just over a week ago after, early in the morning, the Reform Party issued a statement proposing abolishing kindergarten fees. Since the Center Party made a similar statement less than two hours later, this prompted accusations that Reform was potentially eyeing a coalition in Tallinn with that party, which had previously ruled in isolation for many years.

Isamaa, SDE and Eesti 200 have also charged Reform with using no-confidence motions at the council too much, and of halting the progress of bills.

The local government elections are in October.

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