Estonia’s incumbent prime minister, liberal Kaia Kalas’ Reform Party, won parliamentary elections this week with 31.2% of the vote, 37 of the 101 seats in the Riigikogu, so he will lead the next governing coalition. of this Baltic country.
“Voters expect that the new government will be led by the Reform Party. Is it clear. We have to talk about everything else. We have already talked about what our candidates took away from talking to voters, their expectations. Tomorrow we will meet to discuss our options,” Kalas told ETV on Sunday.
The main opposition force, the Estonian Conservative People’s Party (EKRE), is in second place with 16.1% support and 17 seats, followed by the center-left party with 15.3% and 16 seats, according to the final vote count. .
The liberal Eesti 200, formed in 2018, received 13.3% of the vote and 14 seats, while the outgoing coalition partners, the Social Democratic Party (SDE) and Ismaa, received 9 and eight with 9.3% and 8.2% support, respectively.
Thus, the reformist party gains three seats compared to the previous elections, while EKRE loses two; Center Party, 10; SDE, one and Isamaa, four.
Depending on the results, the Reform Party could form a 53-seat coalition with the Center Party or a 60-seat alliance with Eesti 200 and the Social Democrats.
EU leaders congratulate Kalas on his victory
In the midst of the war in Ukraine, Kalas was a strong supporter of Kiev and became a leading voice in favor of tougher sanctions against Russia and a stronger NATO military presence in the Baltic region. Estonia, along with neighbors Latvia and Lithuania, is among Ukraine’s main arms suppliers relative to GDP.
Leaders of EU institutions congratulated the prime minister on his victory and assured him of continuing “close cooperation” with the Baltic politician, who has been a “strong voice” in the EU’s support against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“My sincere congratulations to Kaja Kalas on the election results. I look forward to the continuation of our close cooperation”, said the President of the European Council, Liberal Charles Michel on his official Twitter.
Also, the president of the European Parliament, conservative Roberta Mezzola, was “delighted” by the results obtained by her “friend” Kalas and congratulated him on his “victory” in the Estonian elections. “Since the beginning of the war, Kaja Kalas has been a strong voice of our support for Ukraine,” the Maltese politician wrote on Twitter.
Source: El Diario
