The leader of Estonia’s national-conservative opposition party, Fatherland (Isamaa), Urmas Reinsalu, is the country’s most popular candidate for prime minister, according to a Norstat poll done in May 2026 for the Institute for Societal Research (YI), ERR reports. The survey showed that 27% of respondents would prefer to see Reinsalu as prime minister, followed by Mihhail Kõlvart, leader of the opposition Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond), with 23% and Martin Helme, leader of the opposition Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE), with 14% support. Lavly Perling, leader of the non-parliamentary Right-Wingers (Parempoolsed) was the preferred prime ministerial candidate for 12% of respondents, followed by the chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDE), Lauri Läänemets, with 10%, the leader of the ruling Estonian Reform Party, incumbent prime minister Kristen Michal, with 9%, and the chairwoman of Reform’s coalition partner, Estonia 200, Kristina Kallas, with 5%.
Meanwhile, Reinsalu asserted that Fatherland was an alternative to the parties currently in power, and said that the party was working to be ready to begin governing the country in 2027, ERR reported. He criticised Michal for efforts to demonise conservative forces in Estonia, referring to Michal’s recent comments about a “conservative octopus.” He accused Michal of using rhetoric of “fear and confrontation,” pointing, among other things, to the prime minister’s recent warnings about a coalition between Fatherland, the Centre Party, and EKRE. However, Reinsalu made it clear that he did not see EKRE as being currently mature enough for government. Despite the differences, Reinsalu did not rule out a coalition with Reform after the parliamentary elections due in spring 2027, although he acknowledged that it would be very difficult. Also, he did not rule out cooperation with the Right-Wingers.
Earlier, Michal accused opposition conservative parties and their ideological allies of wanting to reverse Estonia’s development, limit people’s freedoms, and distance Estonia from allies, ERR reported. Speaking at Reform’s general assembly in Tallinn, Michal pointed to “the partisan superstructure” of Fatherland, the Centre Party, and EKRE “merged into one” and to “fellow-travelling opportunists.” He argued that the opposition forces wanted to “turn the elections into a referendum on hatred towards the coalition.” Meanwhile, SDE leader Läänemets said that Michal’s comments gave “the impression of a somewhat panicked prime minister.” At the same time, he noted that Fatherland and the Centre Party had made no secret of the fact that they would turn Estonia into “a very different country,” ERR reported.