Estonian Gov't Resigns, PM Kallas To Put Together New Coalition

The gov't of Estonian PM Kaja Kallas has resigned after an agreement was reached between Kallas' centre-right liberal Reform Party and two others to form a new majority coalition. The Kallas gov't had governed as a minority since June, when the PM removed the populist Centre Party from the coalition, with the party being perceived as too pro-Russian (the Centre Party is the primary political bastion of Russian-speakers in Estonia).

• The Riigikogu (parliament) will be recalled from summer recess to vote in the new administration on Friday 15 July. The new gov't will be formed by Kallas' Reform Party, the conservative Isamaa ('Fatherland') party, and the centre-left Social Democratic Party, and will hold 55 seats in the 101-member chamber.
• Estonia has been a one of the major voices in NATO advocating the most hard-line stance against Russia in its war against Ukraine, demanding a full defeat of the Russian forces that involves pushing them out of all Ukrainian territory. Major security concerns among the Baltic states about future Russian intentions towards their borders. Sweden and Finland joining NATO seen as major boost to Baltic state security given large, well-trained and equipped armies of both nations.