President green-lights coalition for Wednesday
President Kersti Kaljulaid gave the go ahead for the tripartite coalition government to take place on Wednesday, according to BNS.
The president told the media on Tuesday afternoon that, following meetings with several of the proposed ministers, she would authorise the cabinet drawn up by Centre Party leader and incumbent prime minister, Jüri Ratas, together with the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) and Isamaa.
The president met with Mr Ratas, Riina Solman (Isamaa – population affairs), Mart Järvi (EKRE – rural affairs), Rene Kokk (EKRE – environment minister) and Marti Kuusik (EKRE – IT) on Monday, at Kadriorg Palace, and with Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa – foreign) and Mart Helme (EKRE – interior) on Tuesday.
Assuming the cabinet comes into being on Wednesday, it would see several returnees who had previously held office, either in the last administration, or earlier, including Mailis Reps and Jaak Aab (Centre), and Jüri Luik and Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa), as well as Jüri Ratas himself.
Mailis Reps and Jüri Luik would be returning to the same roles they held, in education and defence respectively, in the last administration, which consisted of Centre, Isamaa and the Social Democratic Party (SDE).
Newcomers to office would include Tanel Kiik (Centre, social affairs), who at 30 would be the youngest minister in the cabinet.
President Kaljulaid noted that recent revelations around incoming IT minister Marti Kuusik, namely that he had been apprehended by the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) the morning after the general election of 3 March in the town of Rakvere, having been clocked speeding over 20 km/h over the speed limit, was not grounds for his dismissal from the proposed post. A breath test also revealed Mr Kuusik had traces of alcohol in his system, though not sufficient to trigger a fine or heavier penalty.
Editor: Andrew Whyte