No Confidence Vote Against Estonian PM Fails As Nationalists Gain On Gov't

A no-confidence motion presented yesterday against Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas by two of the country's right-wing opposition parties failed by a margin of 36 votes in favour to 55 against in the 101-member parliament.

• The right-wing nationalist Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) and the conservative Isamaa (Fatherland) party presented the no confidence motion, arguing the 'grand coalition' of the centre-right liberal Reform Party and the agrarian, Russian-speakers' interest Centre Party (KESK) led by Reform's Kallas had mismanaged the budget to the detriment of national security.
• The centre-left Social Democrats did not back the motion, and instead stated that they would present their own no confidence vote in opposition to the gov'ts 'austerity policies'.
• While the next election is not due until March 2023 at the latest, recent polling will come of some concern to both governing parties. The EKRE recorded support of 23% in the latest Turu-uuringute poll, just one point behind Kallas' Reform Party. The poll was the seventh in a row showing the EKRE as the main challenge to Reform as Estonia's largest party, overhauling KESK - one of the historic dominant parties alongside Reform - once again.
• Turu-uuringute poll: Reform Party: 24% (-2), EKRE: 23% (+2), KESK: 19% (-1), Estonia 200: 13% (-2), Social Democrats: 9% (+1), Fatherland: 7% (+2), Greens: 3% (+1). +/-vs. 06 - 11 May 2021. Fieldwork: 03 - 10 June 2021. Sample size: 1,000