The parties are hoping for an agreement without extraordinary elections

President Alar Karis and Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Photo: Mihkel Maripuu

• President Karis should decide about the extraordinary elections in case of vote of no confidence.
• The extraordinary elections would put the Reform Party in the best position.
• The politicians do not suspect the president of favoring any parties.

Representatives of the Estonian parties do not believe that President Alar Karis would announce extraordinary elections in case of vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (RE).

Isamaa Chairman Helir-Valdor Seeder told Postimees that he considers the extraordinary elections unlikely. “The president cannot announce early elections by himself. The constitution stipulates the conditions for that and these conditions can be created by the political parties rather than the president,” he said, adding that the Reform Party is the only one which could wish for the extraordinary elections.

According to Seeder, the Reform Party has been deliberately attempting to make the parliament undertake a confidence vote in Kallas and the president would be entitled to announce extraordinary elections. “But the politicians are mature enough to see through this plan and not to go along with it. This is the reason why there will be vote of no confidence in Kallas,” Seeder said.

Henn Põlluaas, member of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party, also believes that Kallas is trying to steer the state towards extraordinary elections. “Otherwise she would not invite a vote of no confidence in her,” Põlluaas said, mentioning that declaring the extraordinary elections would be irresponsible and careless in his opinion. “There is no doubt that the Riigikogu can manage the forming of a new government without extraordinary elections,” he said.

Former Center minister of culture Tiit Terik does not suspect the president of favoring some party. “Yes, it (the extraordinary elections after a vote of no confidence) is a legal option in itself, but we do not have an extraordinary situation where the parliamentary parties cannot reach an agreement,” said Terik, who considers it more logical that the president will charge a party leader with the forming of the coalition once the leader has reached an agreement regarding the coalition.

Lauri Läänemets, Chairman of the Social Democrats, said that the president’s responsibility for democracy and the working of the state is sufficiently great so that he would not believe in collusion with some party. “The extraordinary elections are meant for breaking democratic deadlocks and the president has to assess the situation and make the decision when necessary,” Läänemets explained.

Prime Minister Kallas said during yesterday’s (June 9) press conference that in case of no confidence vote she would use the opportunity to ask the president to declare extraordinary elections. President Karis reminded the day before yesterday that the president has the right to declare extraordinary elections in case of no confidence vote in the government. He can do it but does not need to.

Tõnis Lukas: the words about abandoning partners was meant as a reproach to the Reform Party

“I am completely certain that we can form the government and that the Reform Party will be able to remain faithful for at least nine months,” Tõnis Lukas said yesterday at the end of the ETV “First Studio” broadcast.

Isamaa politician Tõnis Lukas explained to Postimees that his words were meant as a mild reproach to the Reform Party. “It was actually a reproach to the Reform Party. They are infamous in the Estonian politics for abandoning their partners and this is why parties often refrain from cooperating with the Reform Party,” Lukas said.