Reform to get 7 govt seats, SDE and IRL 4 each

Photo: Liis Treimann

The Reform Party will be responsible for seven areas in the new Estonian government and its coalition partners Social Democratic Party (SDE) and Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (IRL) for four areas each, the leaders of the three parties decided Monday.

The Reform Party stands to get the positions of prime minister, foreign minister, minister of economic affairs and infrastructure, interior minister, minister of rural affairs, minister of education and research and minister of public governance, spokespeople for Reform told BNS.

The portfolios going to SDE are those of defense, culture, health and labor, and foreign trade and entrepreneurship.

IRL meanwhile will appoint the ministers of environment, finance, social protection and justice.

«We reached a common understanding today of the division of government responsibility. The goals of the government coalition to be formed by us is strengthening the security of Estonia, improving the coping of families with children, reducing labor taxes, improving the coping of low income earners, reforming the state and local administration and easing of peripherization,» chairman of the Reform Party Taavi Roivas said.

Negotiators of Reform, SDE and IRL reached agreement on the text of the coalition agreement Wednesday evening and on the cost of the government deal by Thursday evening. Since Friday the leaders of the three parties have been speaking about the division of ministerial portfolios.

The coalition deal may be signed on Wednesday provided that the extended boards of all the three parties have approved it by then.

The three parties command 59 seats in the 101-seat Riigikogu. According to the result of the March 1 general elections the Reform Party has 30 seats, Center 27, SDE 15, IRL 14, the Free Party eight and the Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE) seven seats in the new parliament.