"We agreed to terminate the contract," said Reform board member Kaja Kallas, who will be the sole candidate for party chair next month.

Kallas did not specify why the party parted ways with Kõiv, only stating that Kõiv would not have remained in his position following the election of the new party board anyway.

She noted, however, that she has already selected a candidate to take over his position. "Yes, I have already spoken with them, and they have already given their consent," said Kallas. "I will comment in more detail when the time comes."

The party board dismissed Kõiv from his position as secretary general, but the post will remain vacant until April, when Kallas will take over as party chair.

ERR News reported on Friday that a number of Reform members blamed Kõiv for the party's financial affairs not being in order.

Weekly Eesti Ekspress claimed that another touchy subject among party board members was Kõiv's generous employment contract, which stipulates severance pay equaling one year's salary, or somewhere in the range of €30,000, in case of premature dismissal.

Kallas noted that she has not yet had time to review the party's financial affairs, which is why she would not comment on the matter.