IRL: Long-term dynamics more important than monthly approval ratings

Photo: Liis Treimann

Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL), junior partner in Estonia's two-party governing coalition, says that long-term dynamics of support is more important than parties' monthly approval ratings and attributes the rise in its popularity to keeping its promises.

"For IRL, support dynamics over a longer term is a more substantive indicator than the support percentage of one month. I'm pleased that average support for IRL has been on the rise in the last few months. As a party we've been fulfilling our electoral pledges and explaining our policies. Support growth over a longer period of time is a sign that IRL has addressed the problems that are of importance to the Estonian people," the party's secretary general Tiit Riisalo told BNS.

The ruling Reform Party whose popularity has sharply declined since last fall succeeded in reversing the trend in February, a nationwide poll TNS Emor conducted for public broadcaster ERR showed.

If parliamentary elections were held tomorrow, 23 percent of the voters would back the Reform Party. A month ago support for the party stood at 20 percent. Reform's popularity began falling last August, from a high 39 percent, and hit the lowest level in the last five years in January.

At the top of rankings are as before the opposition Center Party and Social Democratic Party (SDE) with 26 percent each. In January Center was backed by 28 percent and SDE, by 27 percent of respondents.

Of the four parties represented in parliament IRL was the least popular with 17 percent. In January it was supported by 16 percent of the polled.

TNS Emor conducted face-to-face interviews with 885 voting-age citizens for the survey. The pollster presents the ratings on the basis of respondents who have a party preference, eliminating respondents who do not name any party.