Survey: Social Democrats rise to third ahead of European elections
Based on the aggregate results of polls conducted during the past three weeks, the opposition Reform Party has the most popular candidate list ahead of the upcoming 2019 European Parliament elections, it appears from the results of a survey commissioned by the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues and conducted by Norstat.
According to the survey data, the Reform Party and the Centre Party would each earn two of Estonia's six seats in the European Parliament, while the Social Democratic Party (SDE) and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) would earn one seat each.
If Estonia had been granted one more seat in connection with Brexit, according to current survey data, this seventh seat would have gone to Isamaa.
The Reform Party would currently earn the votes of 22.1 percent of those surveyed, while another 20.3 percent would vote for Centre. Social Democrats, meanwhile, currently command the support of 19.3 percent of voters, while 12.4 percent would vote for an EKRE candidate and another 9.8 percent for Isamaa.
The Reform Party would currently earn the votes of 22.1 percent of those surveyed, while another 20.3 percent would vote for Centre. Social Democrats, meanwhile, currently command the support of 19.3 percent of voters, while 12.4 percent would vote for an EKRE candidate and another 9.8 percent for Isamaa.
The most popular candidates running for election to the European Parliament are Marina Kaljurand (SDE) with 16.2 percent, Andrus Ansip (Reform) with 10.8 percent and Yana Toom (Centre) with 10.3 percent support.
Kaljurand a major favorite
Kaljurand's popularity as a candidate on the Social Democrats' ticket is so overwhelming that the remaining eight candidates combined would otherwise command just over three percent support.
Indrek Tarand, who earned 25.8 percent of the vote in 2009 and 13.2 percent of votes in 2014 as an independent candidate would currently only receive 0.9 percent support. Of the independent candidates running for election to the European Parliament this year, Raimond Kaljulaid is the most popular, commanding the support of 5.4 percent of respondents.
Survey respondents were presented with a full list of candidates running in the 2019 European Parliament elections and asked which candidate they would vote for if the European Parliament elections were to be held next Sunday.
The surveys were conducted online from April 12 through May 2. A total of 3,000 Estonian citizens aged 18 or older responded to the survey, providing for a ±3.1 percent margin of error.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
