The new chairman of the city council of Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, Tõnis Lukas, has declined to join the city council faction of his own party, Fatherland (Isamaa), ERR reports. Lukas refused to be member of the same coalition as social media influencer Kris Kärner, who has made disparaging and threatening comments about Lukas and political opponents. Lukas maintained that he could chair the city council despite not being part of the ruling coalition. Speaking in an interview with ERR, Lukas assured that he would not leave Fatherland, however. At the same time, he expressed hope that the party would not become a bitter or divisive political force. He insisted that Fatherland had not become like the populist Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE).
Read Less, Know More.