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The coalition that brought together the Reform Party (the centre-right) and the Center Party (which even had ties to Vladimir Putin’s party in Russia) in the Estonian government has not withstood the prime minister’s criticism of government partners. Kaja Kallas accused the now former partners of the Center of not defending Estonia’s interests and “actively working” against the country’s values.
The Financial Times moving forward that Prime Minister Kaja Kallas asked Estonian President Alar Karis to fire seven ministers of the Center (center-left) Party, despite the fact that the party cut ties with United Russia at the start of the war. “The security situation in Europe does not allow me to continue cooperation with the Center Party, which unable to put the interests of Estonia above the interests of political parties“, he said, quoting the publication. Kallas went further and even accused the party ofwork actively against the core values of Estonia“.
The prime minister will try to form a new coalition with two smaller parties. Guardian writes that Kallas’ party, the Reform, proposed negotiations for a possible coalition with Isamaa’s conservatives and social democrats. If this is not possible, Center leader and former Prime Minister Jüri Ratas will be given the opportunity to form an alternative government.
On Friday, Kallas defended herself: “Unfortunately, it turned out that there are two parties in parliament that just can’t sculpteven in the current situation and ensure the protection of our independence and our constitutional values.”
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The Financial Times explains that several factors may have contributed to the rupture of relations between government partners. Among them is a bill on pre-school education (which was rejected by the Center along with the far-right Ekre party), but the document also points to “long-standing tensions.”
Although the Center Party had already severed ties with Putin’s party after the invasion of Ukraine, that relationship did not last long. Kallas, whose country borders Russia, advocates for Europe and the United States to increase military and sanctions assistance to Ukraine against Moscow. But the newspaper claims there is an understanding in civil society that the Center Party may not have approved of aid to Kyiv.
