Reform weighing up Kross candidacy in East-Viru County

Opposition Reform Party is considering whether to put up Eerik-Niiles Kross as its primary candidate in the easternmost electoral ward of Ida-Viru County for the 2019 general elections.
Mr. Kross, son of noted Estonian writer and poet Jaan Kross, has served as a member of parliament before, having won a seat for Reform in 2015. However, he took a sabbatical starting in June this year, to study in the US at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He had previously stood for the Estonian Greens and for IRL (today, Isamaa/Pro Patria) and was on the party executive of the latter.
Reform, which is currently the largest party in terms of seats at the Estonian parliament (Riigikogu) and is led by Kaja Kallas, is in opposition, and hopes to publish its finalised electoral lists in January 2019. The Estonian general elections work on a modified d'Hondt proportional representation basis, with lists of candidates for each of 12 electoral districts.
Mr. Kross has reportedly already met with Reform representatives in Ida-Viru County.
"We discussed how to team up together and what to do in Ida-Viru County," said party secretary general Kert Valdaru.
The general elections in Estonia are set for 3 March 2019.
Editor: Andrew Whyte