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After an election campaign dominated by the fallout from the war in Ukraine, the ruling party won 37 of the 101 seats in the Tallinn parliament – three more than in the previous election in 2019. vote, it remains the strongest force in the People’s Assembly in Tallinn, called Riigikoku. Kallas has been head of government since 2021 – the first woman in Estonia’s history – and is considered one of the most staunch supporters of Ukraine in Europe.
The victory of her party in the Baltic state with about 1.2 million inhabitants had already become clear before the elections on Sunday. As the polls suggested, Kallas should now be able to continue governing. The 45-year-old currently leads a three-party coalition with the Social Democrats (9 seats) and the conservative party Isamaa (8 seats), both of which lost seats. Kallas initially left it open whether she would continue the alliance or look for new coalition partners. All options must be discussed in advance within the party.
“Voters expect the Reform Party to take the lead in the new government. That much is certain,’ Kallas said on election night and thanked the Estonians for the confidence they had placed in them. With more than 31,000 votes in her constituency, she set a record – more than anyone since Estonia’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Two opposition parties came second and third: the right-wing populist party EKRE (17 seats) and the left-wing Center Party (16 seats), both of which lost a few seats. With 200 (14 seats), the Liberal Party of Estonia won the largest number of votes in parliament for the first time. Experts consider participation in the government even conceivable.
One of the main themes of the election campaign was Russia’s war against Ukraine, which Estonia regards as a direct threat to national security. The country shares a border of almost 300 kilometers with Russia. Since about a quarter of the inhabitants are of Russian descent, the war led to sensitive social debates – for example about Russian lessons at school and how to deal with one’s own history and memory culture.
Since Russia’s attack, Kallas has emerged as a staunch supporter of EU sanctions against Moscow and arms sales to Ukraine. Under her leadership, Estonia has given more than one percent of its economic output to Ukraine as military aid and has taken in more than 60,000 war refugees. It also resolutely calls for the reinforcement of NATO’s eastern flank.
The election also included the possibility of early voting via the internet, which Estonia introduced as the first country in Europe a few years ago. This time, more than a third of all eligible voters used “e-voting” – including President Alar Karis. In total, more than half of all votes were cast digitally – a record. According to preliminary information from the Electoral Commission, the voter turnout was 63.7 percent.
(SDA)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
