"I submitted my resignation today, and as of today I am no longer a member of the [Centre] parliamentary group," Ivanova told ETV news broadcast "Aktuaalne kaamera."

According to Ivanova, it was recent events in the Narva City Council that prompted her to leave both the party board and the party parliamentary group; she found that the Centre Party board had done an injustice to the city council members who were declared suspects in corruption earlier this month.

The MP said that going forward, she would vote in the Riigikogu according to her own conscience.

It is possible that the Centre Party congress to convene this winter will not throw Ivanova out of the party, and she may still run for the Riigikogu in next spring's elections as a member of the party.

Based on parliamentary group numbers, the government coalition has 52 votes left in the 101-seat Riigikogu.

Opposition also loses one vote

MP and former Free Party chairman Artur Talvik confirmed to ERR that he reached an agreement with the Free Party parliamentary group and they parted ways amicably.

"We just had a meeting where we unanimously and amicably agreed that I would move forward as an independent and continue working in parallel with the Free Party," Talvik said, adding that there was no slamming of doors to speak of.

He noted that he himself was of the position that, given the circumstances, it would be honest of him to move forward as an independent MP.

Talvik said that he is continuing his work on establishing a new political party, adding that he was en route to a meeting on the subject in Tartu that is expected to last until late.

He declined, however, to indicate who would become the main drivers behind the new political force.

Talvik announced last Saturday that he intends to form a new political party that hopes to earn 25 seats in the Riigikogu elections next spring.

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