"I have to admit that, for me, cooperation with [EKRE] is very dubious, as based on statements made by the party's leaders, it cannot be said that they understand that every member of Estonian society is an asset," Mr Kõlvart said on the Russian-language Aktuaalne kaamera on Monday evening. "You cannot govern the state with this sort of approach."

The city council chairman did not respond directly when asked how the Centre Party's Russian-speaking voters would react to a possible coalition with EKRE.

"We cannot discuss a coalition agreement in indicative terms at the momnt, as it is the actions to follow that will determine the policies of the future government," he said. "I would like to see that EKRE is capable of listening to its other coalition partners. And, most importantly, a softening of their own rhetoric."

Of Centre Party board members, Mr Kõlvart, along with Yana Toom, Vadim Belobrovtsev and Raimond Kaljulaid, voted against forming a coalition together with EKRE.

"For the first time after the restoration of Estonian independence, 65% of the Riigikogu consists of representatives of right-wing parties," he noted. "Just 35% reflect centrist or left-wing ideologies. Ideally, the Centre Party would like to form a coalition with the Social Democrats (SDE), and Estonia 200's views would suit us as well."

Mr Kõlvart, who earned 17,075 votes in the 3 March elections, said that whether or not he would take up his seat in the Riigikogu would depend on the result of coalition talks.