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TALLINN, Estonia – Polling stations have opened in Estonia for parliamentary elections of Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ centre-right Reform Party. one of Ukraine’s staunchest supporters in Europe, is a favorite to win.
She faces a challenge from the populist opposition party EKRE, which is trying to limit the Ukraine crisis’ vulnerability to the Baltic nation and blames the government for the economic plight of its citizens.
Over 900,000 people are eligible to cast their ballots on Sunday to select representatives for Estonia’s 101-seat parliament, or Riigikogu, from a range of nine political parties. Almost half of those entitled to vote have already voted in advance. Many Estonians prefer to vote electronically and cast their vote from their computer.
National security after neighboring Russia’s attack on Ukraine and socio-economic issues, particularly the rising cost of living, were the main themes of the election.
During the past year of war, 45-year-old Kallas has become one of the most outspoken supporters of Ukraine in Europe. She has held the country’s top post since 2021 and is seeking a second term, boosted by her international calls for sanctions against Moscow.
Five parties are currently represented in Parliament. Kallas’ Reform Party leads the current three-party coalition government with the small conservative Fatherland Party and the Social Democrats
Estonia, a Baltic nation of 1.3 million people bordering Russia to the east, broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has charted a clear Western course by joining NATO and the European Union.
Polls show Kallas’ centre-right Liberal Reform Party is likely to win more votes than any other party. Her main challenger is Martin Helme, leader of the nationalist far-right party EKRE, which blames Kallas for the country’s 18.6% inflation rate – one of the highest in the EU – and accuses her of undermining Estonia’s defenses by raising arms Ukraine delivers.