"With Mart and Martin Helme, it's more likely that some deputies from the Centre Party or Isamaa will act according to their consciences and support the no-confidence motion," SDE Secretary General Rannar Vassiljev said. As this would mean a death knell for the current government, however, the SDE would prefer to express no confidence in the Helmes.

According to Vassiljev, the SDE has been critical of the current government since it was formed, and plenty more reason for being critical has come up during the just over 100 days that the government has been in office.

"Unfortunately, it seems as though the prime minister's patience continues to grow at the same rate as the Helme family continues to test it, and it never wears thin," he added.

The secretary general said that in order to help the prime minister make a decision on dissolving his government, the SDE also supports the no-confidence motion against Ratas being planned by the Reform Party. The two opposition parties plan on meeting to make arrangements for an extraordinary sitting of the Riigikogu as soon as possible.

The SDE's plans depend largely on what will become of Reform's initiative. It is likely that the no-confidence vote against Ratas will fail. Vassiljev said, however, that the SDE hasn't ruled out introducing a similar motion against the Helmes.

Helmes tied up in PPA chief scandal

Following an attempt to remove Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) Director General Elmar Vaher from office, the board of the opposition Reform Party decided on Saturday to convene an extraordinary session of the Riigikogu to file a motion of no confidence in the prime minister.

"Estonia does not have a functioning government, and the prime minister is responsible for this," Reform Party chairwoman Kaja Kallas said. "Government ministers are overstepping the bounds of their power, completely disregarding laws and regulations, essentially spitting on the rule of law, and the prime minister sees this and says that everything is fine."

According to Kallas, the prime minister is responsible for this as well as previous disorder, which is why the party has decided to express no confidence in Prime Minister Jüri Ratas

Ratas, who met with the Helmes on Friday evening, emphasized that their attempt to dismiss Vaher was completely unacceptable.

He did, however, pose for a photo together with them and Minister of Education and Research Mailis Reps (Centre) that same evening, declaring the continuation of cooperation, Postimees noted.

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