Center Party leaving ALDE group in European Parliament

Chairman of the Estonian Central Party Mihhail Kõlvart at the Jõgeva council session. Photo: Jürgen Puistaja

The extended board of the Estonian Center Party stated in a press release on Saturday that, although the party has been part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group in the European Parliament for twenty years, the policies of ALDE have increasingly diverged from the Center Party's positions, making continued cooperation no longer feasible.

«After extensive internal discussions, we have decided to withdraw from ALDE to better align our party's policies in Europe with the positions of the Estonian Center Party's program. This does not preclude future cooperation on shared issues. Accordingly, the Center Party will begin negotiations with European political parties whose positions more closely match our own views and values,» the statement reads.

The Center Party's extended board noted that ALDE includes the Reform Party, whose policies in Estonia reflect ALDE«s positions. The economic philosophy of an »invisible hand« and a balanced budget, has led Estonia into a situation where economic growth is replaced by decline and social inequality becomes a security risk, according to the Center Party.

«The Center Party and ALDE differ significantly on the future of Estonia, Europe, and democracy on several fundamental issues, particularly concerning people's livelihoods and the business environment,» the statement said. «In our 2024 European Parliament election program, the Center Party emphasized that our primary foreign and security policy goals are to protect Estonia's independence, constitutional order, and increase national prosperity. In contrast, ALDE supports the federalization of Europe, concentrating power in Brussels and diminishing the decision-making authority of member states.»

The Center Party advocates for maintaining the principle of unanimity in the EU decision-making process to ensure that the interests of Estonian people are not overruled.

«ALDE, in its latest electoral manifesto, proposes abandoning the requirement for unanimity in foreign and security policy. We believe this threatens the decision-making power of member states, including Estonia,» the Center Party countered. «We also believe that European Parliament election lists should remain national. ALDE's push for pan-European voting lists alienates people from democracy and diminishes our ability to influence Estonia's future.»

Center said that the party supports immigration policies that protect Estonia's cultural and demographic characteristics, while ALDE advocates for more liberal immigration policies, including the potential redistribution of migrants among member states.

The Center Party has prioritized increasing Estonia's population in its election programs and stressed the need to focus more on birth rates, rejecting the notion that demographic issues can be resolved solely through immigration.

«The Center Party believes that the adoption of green technologies must consider Estonia's unique circumstances. ALDE's strong and consistent push for the green transition as planned does not account for the economic capacities of the EU and its member states. This approach has already led to a sharp rise in energy prices, negatively affecting living standards, particularly for the elderly and large families,» the Center Party said.

«Unlike the Reform Party-led government, the Center Party is committed to ensuring the well-being, social guarantees, and security of the Estonian people. Our goal is to be transparent with our voters and rectify the situation where our policies in Estonia and Europe are not based on the same fundamental principles,» the Center Party concluded.