Urmas Reinsalu: Estonia's trust in political system is deepening in crisis

Urmas Reinsalu has warned that the Reform Party is attempting to seize control of the public broadcasting council ahead of elections through amendments to broadcasting legislation. He claims the bill is now being quietly pushed through the culture committee after public pressure. Reinsalu argues this represents a deepening crisis of trust in Estonia's political system.

A crisis of trust in Estonia's political system is deepening, warns [Urmas Reinsalu](/politicians/urmas-reinsalu), who has renewed his public criticism of an ongoing effort by the Reform Party to gain control over the public broadcasting council ahead of upcoming elections.

Reinsalu says he raised the alarm several months ago, pointing out that a draft bill to amend Estonia's Broadcasting Act had been sitting on Prime Minister [Kristen Michal](/politicians/kristen-michal)'s desk. His assessment at the time was clear: the bill was designed to hand the Reform Party control over the public broadcaster's supervisory board at a politically sensitive moment, and he urged the prime minister not to bring it before parliament.

## Bill Moved to Committee

Despite that public pressure, Reinsalu now warns that a different approach is being taken. Rather than an open parliamentary debate, the bill is reportedly being steered quietly through the Riigikogu's culture committee — a tactic he describes as working behind the scenes to avoid scrutiny.

The concern centres on the composition and appointment process of the public broadcasting council, which oversees Estonia's public broadcaster ERR. Critics argue that shifting control of this body to a party in government — particularly in the run-up to elections — poses a serious threat to media independence and democratic accountability.

## Trust in Institutions at Stake

Reinsalu frames the issue not merely as a procedural dispute but as a symptom of a broader problem. He argues that the manner in which this legislation is being handled — avoiding public debate and parliamentary transparency — is exactly the kind of behaviour that erodes citizens' confidence in Estonia's political institutions. In his view, such manoeuvres contribute directly to a growing crisis of trust in the country's democratic system.