Ere the local elections ever start, Centre Party promises to expel anyone running outside its own lists. No such purge is planned by other parties.
Centre Party vows full fury for defectors
20th September 2013, 14:57
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In Harju County towns and communes alone, at least 82 members of parliamentary parties run in lists of election coalitions or some other parties – with their own party lists present. At that, the above number only includes candidates who specify their «native party» in election questionnaires.
An analysis of party backgrounds of over 3,500 people listed reveals that, in Tallinn, eight people from IRL, six of soc dems (SDE) and one of Centre Party run in lists of election coalitions Üle-eestiline Valimisliit, Vaba Tallinna Kodanik and Tallinna Rohelised (freely translated as Pan-Estonian Election Union, Free Citizen of Tallinn, Tallinn’s Greens, respectively).
To these are added at least 76 people from other local governments of Harju County, 26 belonging to Centre Party, 19 to Reform Party, 16 to IRL and six to SDE.
In cases of parties not participating in certain local governments, their members running in election coalitions would perhaps be expected. Things are altogether different, however, when they opt to run against their own parties in ranks of election coalitions or even competitors. Centre Party, for one, treats this as nothing short of treason. At least theoretically, statutes of all major parties provide options of expelling such from their ranks.
As readily confirmed by Centre Party secretary general Priit Toobal, the option will be used: «We would not be opposed to election coalitions as such, should these spring up locally; however, with party members, be it Centre Party members, creeping into these... we will not approve of that,» said he.
Mr Toobal pointed to party statutes, pursuant to which every member is expected to support the party’s election campaign; according to him, running in competing lists would not amount to that, really. «From the congressional pulpit and in meetings with regional leaders, I have underlined that, in my opinion, such people ought not to belong to Centre Party,» he said.
Now, with lists of candidates open and the deadline for stepping out passed, Centre Party will perform an analysis finding out all «outside runners», said Mr Toobal. Even though regions may have their say, the final judgement is issued by Centre Party board. «So as to not confuse voters, we ought to pass the decision prior to October 20th; so the voters will have a clear understanding: Centre Party members only run in Centre Party lists,» added Mr Toobal.
SDE secretary general Indrek Saar said they do not hold to a tradition to expel candidates running in competing lists. «We do not have a rule of this sort; and that would, indeed, be hard to formulate as the reasons for being in other lists greatly vary. This is up to the people in question, local relationships, how the lists and power lines fall locally,» said he.
Mr Saar admitted that such moves cause tensions, locally; even so, expelling people would take more than running in other lists. «Every case is somewhat special, it would be sheer butchery to just cut all heads,» said Mr Saar.
Kaja Kallas, heading Reform Party’s Harju County regional organisation, also thinks a party ought to rather be tolerant towards those joining other lists. «Nothing has been agreed – would that be the case, all members should have known in advance,» said she.
At the same time, Ms Kallas noted that things differ, locally; in some local governments, the atmosphere is friendly, in others the elections tend to be pretty intense. Therefore, Ms Kallas said it could not be excluded that, after the elections, some might have recourse to the party’s court of honour, claiming that the party’s image has been damaged by certain people running in other lists.
IRL’s secretary general Tiit Riisalo, a year ago threatening other-list-runners with expulsion, was somewhat subdued this time around. According to him, the judgement should, in such cases, be passed by the regional departments.
«Each case ought to be treated separately; definitely, opinions of all those concerned must be heard. Such activity, however, will fall into post-election times,» said Mr Riisalo.