Editorial: the golden Reform apple

Photo: paleothea.com

This present presidential elections year in Estonia has gotten off to a rather slothful start. With three months to go till head of state ought to be elected in Riigikogu, just one name has publicly been put forth. His own, by Reform Party founder and former prime minister Siim Kallas.

Meanwhile, no political party has officially declared their candidate. All we have instead is talk and speculations. Among other things, even the Reform candidate is still being speculated about though Siim Kallas expressed his readiness on April 16th.  

The expression of readiness has unavoidably brought some internal tensions as part of top squirrels would rather see foreign minister Marina Kaljurand as the candidate. Meanwhile, she has neither confirmed nor declined.

Doubtless, both have their strengths and weaknesses for the party and this the party cadre knows very well.

Tastes like the mythical golden apple that triggered the Trojan War. Some say the candidate issue may burst the inner Reform conflicts right into the open. Others say it may serve to toughen the atmosphere in the coalition. A potential civil war within Reform remains difficult to predict.

Rather, in the party herewith discussed, pragmatic calculations have dominated the emotions. In that party, the leading politicians are much about all sorts of ratings, numbers and figures perhaps they will go by what these are saying at the last moment.

At that, important the support for the candidate-to-be both in round one at Riigikogu or in round two with the broader body with local governmental leaders added. In Postimees today, former prime minister and Reform head Andrus Ansip says the party should play with others to get a guy elected in round one. Meanwhile, the statements by Mr Ansip to give us a hint of a measure of disunity in Reform ranks.