Siim Kallas: Reform Party will elect a president in the Riigikogu in September

Siim Kallas, former leader of the Reform Party, believes the coalition has enough votes to elect a president in the Riigikogu and that a president will be elected in early September. Kallas acknowledges that discontent prevails within the party and that ahead of the upcoming elections, a clear programme and fresh direction are needed. He views the Reform Party's situation as difficult, but not hopeless.

Siim Kallas, former chairman of the Reform Party and Estonia's experienced politician, is convinced that the forthcoming presidential election in the Riigikogu will end successfully. In his assessment, the coalition has the votes lined up and a president will be elected in early September.

"A president will be nicely elected in early September. The Reform Party has no candidate, no clear preference, but it will happen," Kallas said in an interview. He added that the agreements that need to be reached will be concluded before the deadline and there is a risk of failure, but not a very large one.

Discontent prevails within the party

Kallas does not hide that the Reform Party's internal state causes concern. The party has fallen behind several competitors in opinion polls and the Riigikogu elections are looming. "Of course we don't like the current situation, that's quite clear. But now the question is what the recipe is and what moves we have up our sleeve to change the situation," he said.

Kallas noted that the party is in search mode, and in the autumn it will begin building an election programme, but its content is not yet clear. He stressed that repeating the same positions for 20 years might not be of much help and a suitable internal line is needed.

On the question of replacing party chairman Kristen Michal, Kallas remained cautious. He explained that a party chairman is elected at a general meeting and the next general meeting will only take place after the elections. Moreover, the party chairman is also the coalition leader and prime minister, which means that a change of leadership would bring about a change in the entire coalition. "Well, we'll see when autumn comes, then we'll consider all the options that make the most sense," Kallas said.

On competitors and the role of the president

In assessing competitors, Kallas actually considered the Isamaa party led by Urmas Reinsalu to be weak, pointing to Reinsalu's decision to refrain from running for Tallinn's mayor. "He should have gone forward vigorously, taken leadership, taken responsibility," Kallas said. He described the Centre Party as a strong operator, and in his view the Social Democrats also have clear views.

On the role of the president, Kallas said that in Estonia it has never been fully clarified what kind of president the country wants. In his view, the president's role is limited and in reality it is the prime minister who governs Estonia. "At the table where the most important questions are decided, it is the prime minister who sits. Whether that's the European Union or NATO," he explained.

Kallas stressed that a strong domestic politician is also a strong foreign politician, and Estonia needs a strong prime minister more than a president with a strong symbolic role.