Juhan Parts: you can send any old stool for a weak presidential candidate to sit on

Former Prime Minister and current adviser to Tallinn's mayor, Juhan Parts (Isamaa), has stated that Estonia's next president must be a spiritual leader, not merely a competent administrator. According to Parts, a president must be able to speak to people's emotions and understand the soul of the nation.

Former Prime Minister and current adviser to Tallinn's mayor Juhan Parts (Isamaa) does not mince words when it comes to expectations placed on Estonia's future president. In an interview, he stated that if a presidential candidate fails to reach the level of a spiritual leader, it hardly matters who is sent to sit in the office.

"Administrative competence is not enough, because a president must understand society, must speak in the language of emotion, must understand the spirit of the people," Parts said, describing what Estonia's next head of state should be like.

More than an administrator

In Parts' view, the presidency is not merely a ceremonial or bureaucratic position. The head of state must, in his opinion, be able to create an emotional connection with people and be a moral compass for society, rather than just a cog in the state machinery.

Acting as an adviser to Tallinn's mayor, Parts is a member of Isamaa and is known for his outspoken positions. As a former prime minister, he has experience in governing the country, which is why his views are considered influential in the context of the presidential election.

The next president

Estonia's presidential election takes place in the Riigikogu, and the selection of a new head of state is becoming one of the most important political issues in the near future. Various political parties and social groups are searching for a candidate who could gather sufficiently broad support.