Poll: Jüri Luik considered most suitable for ministerial position
Of all the ministerial candidates for Prime Minister Jüri Ratas' (Centre) second government, Estonan residents consider Jüri Luik (Isamaa), Tõnis Lukas (Isamaa) and Mailis Reps (Centre) the most suitable candidates for their respective ministerial positions, while Martin Helme (EKRE) and Mart Helme (EKRE), were found to be the least fitting to become ministers, it appears from the results of a survey conducted by Kantar Emor.
Kantar Emor carried out a so-called government boarding survey in which it asked respondents which ministerial candidates they considered suitable for their respective position in the incoming government and which they deemed unfit to become minister, the pollster said.
According to respondents, Mr Luik, the candidate for Minister of Defence and who also held the same position in the previous government, is most suited to become minister. Over half of Estonian residents also consider Mr Lukas, who has previously served as Minister of Education, suited to become Minister of Culture, and Ms Reps, the candidate for Minister of Education and Research, suited to retain her post.
Likewise over half of Estonian residents, meanwhile, found Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) members Martin Helme and Mart Helme to be least suitable for their respective future positions of Minister of Finance and Minister of the Interior.
Several candidates unfamiliar
According to Kantar Emor expert Aivar Voog, participants were also polled on which ministerial candidates were unfamiliar to them.
Based on the results of the survey, unfamiliar to Estonian residents were candidates just beginning their political careers, including candidate for Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology Marti Kuusik (EKRE), candidate for Minister of Rural Affairs Mart Järvik (EKRE), and candidate for Minister of the Environment Rene Kokk (EKRE).
Candidate for Minister of Social Affairs Tanel Kiik (Centre) was likewise unfamiliar to 58% of respondents, as was candidate for Minister of Population Affairs Riina Solman (Isamaa), as indicated by half of respondents.
Ratas sees 44% approval
Altogether 44% of respondents consider incumbent Prime Minister Jüri Ratas (Centre) suitable for his position, while another 37% believe the opposite.
According to Mr Voog, the most problematic candidates for Estonian residents are those nominated by EKRE, either due to their obscurity because they are deemed unsuitable for the position of minister due to the radical nature of their views.
Kantar Emor surveyed a total of 1,312 Estonian residents between the ages of 14 and 84 via online interview this month.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
