Talvik invites disgruntled IRL members to join Free Party
In the light of the recent internal troubles in the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL), Free Party MP and chairman candidate Artur Talvik on Friday invited IRL members to defect to the Free Party. At the same time, Talvik ruled out a potential merger.
“There are many good people in IRL that are bearers of values that are characteristic of the Free Party—respect for freedom and democracy, support of free enterprise, standing up for local communities and a strong civil society, a transparent and non-corrupt public administration, and social responsibility. All of them are welcome to send in membership applications,” Talvik said according to a party press release.
“I understand why Tunne Kelam and some observers are speaking about the demise of IRL and a merger with the Free Party as a lifeline. IRL has abandoned the conservative world view for media plans that set out when some specific IRL politician will yet again come up with some incongruous idea. And in doing that, their actions in the government substantially differ from their words,” Talvik said.
“The aim of the Free Party is to offer a strong right-centrist alternative, not to salvage other parties. We are not planning on merging with IRL. The Estonian voters did not elect to adopt closed partisan thinking by way of a merger,” he added.
Against the backdrop of IRL’s continually poor ratings and internal struggles, also the leaders of the Reform Party and the Estonian Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) have invited IRL members to join their ranks.
Estonian member of the European Parliament, Tunne Kelam, who was elected and sent to Brussels as an IRL member, told daily Eesti Päevaleht on Friday that he would be in favor of a merger of the two parties.
Editor: Dario Cavegn
Source: BNS