The deputy speaker of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, former prime minister Jüri Ratas, announced that he has quit the Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) and joined the Fatherland (Isamaa) party, ERR reports. He said that the values of the Centre Party’s leadership no longer coincided with his own. Ratas was replaced as party chairman by…
Estonia’s opposition Fatherland (Isamaa) party and Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) have decided to end their filibustering in the parliament, the Riigikogu, for now, ERR reports. The two parties withdrew their numerous submitted amendments, saying that they were against obstructing parliamentary work. The opposition’s filibustering practically halted the Riigikogu’s spring and autumn sessions in 2023. In…
Estonia’s three-party ruling coalition will meet on 30 January 2024 to discuss the state of the coalition, according to Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna, chairman of Estonia 200 (E200), ERR reports. Tsahkna said that E200 would propose ways to revitalise the economy, including measures to reform education, ensure labour and capital availability, and stabilise energy prices…
There will be no referendum against same-sex civil partnership in Latvia, LSM reports. A campaign to hold a popular referendum to suspend the publication of the new partnership law collected just some 15% of the around 155,000 signatures needed. The campaign, which was supported by the opposition United List, National Alliance, Latvia First, and For…
Latvia’s Foreign Minister, former prime minister Krisjanis Karins, would like to become a European Commissioner if he fails to win the race for the post of Secretary General of NATO, LETA reports. Latvia’s ruling New Unity party has yet to decide whether to name Karins or Latvia’s current EU commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis, to top the…
The parliamentary group of Estonia’s opposition Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) will find it hard to recover from the exodus of MPs from the party, ERR’s Uku Toom estimates. The parliamentary group has dwindled from 26 MPs a year ago to just 7 today. The faction is therefore unlikely to have representatives in all parliamentary committees…
Estonia’s Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has denied rumours of a possible coalition reshuffle, ERR reports. Kallas dismissed suggestions that her Estonian Reform Party might consider removing Estonia 200 from the current three-party coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SDE) if MPs from the opposition Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond) join SDE. Kallas suspects that Urmas Reinsalu, leader…
Another six members of the Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, have resigned from the opposition Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond), and four of them joined the Social Democratic Party (SDE), which is part of the current coalition government, ERR reports. One of those leaving is Tanel Kiik, chairman of the Centre Party’s parliamentary group. Earlier, two of…
Estonia’s former prime minister and former chairman of the Estonian Centre Party (Keskerakond), Jüri Ratas, expects more people to leave the opposition party, ERR reports. He said that the party’s new chairman, Tallinn’s Russian-speaking mayor Mihhail Kõlvart, has failed to ensure party unity, noting that most of those who have quit are Estonian-speakers. Earlier, two…