Reform Party invites SDE, Estonia 200 to govt coalition talks

The board of the election-winning Reform Party decided on Tuesday to make a proposal to start coalition talks to the Social Democratic Party (SDE) and the Estonia 200 party. Photo: Tairo Lutter

The board of the election-winning Reform Party decided on Tuesday to make a proposal to start coalition talks to the Social Democratic Party (SDE) and the Estonia 200 party.

«We unanimously decided in the board that our common ground is broadest with SDE and Estonia 200. We're hoping to arrive at an agreement on the principles to defend Estonia in the upcoming years, improve the wellbeing of Estonian people and launch economic growth based on a green reform,» leader of the Reform Party Kaja Kallas said.

The board has approved the party's delegation for the coalition negotiations consisting of Kallas, Timo Suslov, Mart Vorklaev, Erkki Keldo and Gerrit Maesalu.

SDE decides on delegation for coalition talks

The board of the Estonian Social Democratic Party (SDE) decided at Tuesday's extraordinary meeting to accept the Reform Party's proposal to start coalition talks and established a negotiation delegation including party chairman Lauri Laanemets, deputy chair Riina Sikkut, board member Jevgeni Ossinovski and Piret Hartman.

If necessary, other members of the party and the board will also be included in the negotiations according to the topics, spokespeople for the party said.

For the Social Democrats, the important topics in the coalition talks are the coping of the people of Estonia and the fight against wage poverty, issues related to the environment and climate, as well as regional development.

«The Social Democrats will be a balancing force in this government, because we are the ones standing for issues related to people's coping, as well as social justice and regional development. Our focus is definitely on issues related to education and children and, of course, climate and the environment,» Laanemets said.

The SDE chairman said that in terms of regional development, local governments have raised several issues that now need to be discussed.

Estonia 200 accepts invitation to start govt coalition talks

The board of the political party Estonia 200 on Tuesday decided to accept the invitation by the election-winning Reform Party to start negotiations over forming a government coalition.

Estonia 200 chairman Lauri Hussar said that for Estonia 200, the starting point of the coalition negotiations is getting an overview of the current state of state finances and the possibilities of the next government in the responsible preparation of the state budget.

«The liberal and pro-innovation voter has granted this coalition a powerful mandate and we will enter coalition negotiations to implement it,» Hussar said.

Estonia 200 will set education reform, the implementation of the green turn and the launch of the concept of a personal state as the priorities of the coalition talks.

«The voters have given us a mandate to make big decisions and Estonia 200 takes this task very seriously,» Hussar said.

The board of Estonia 200 approved a delegation for the talks, which includes chairman Lauri Hussar, deputy chair Kristina Kallas and board members Margus Tsahkna and Marek Reinaas. The delegation will be supplemented according to the topics of the negotiations.