Estonia government in crisis as coalition crumbles

• Estonia’s Prime Minister has called for negotiations on forming a new government.
• The dismissal of the Centre party follows weeks of political deadlock.
• Russia’s invasion of Ukraine spooks the three Baltic states, which are EU,NATO members.

After her ruling coalition fell apart on Friday, Estonia Prime Minister Kaja Kallas called for negotiations on forming a new government, urging unity in the face of security concerns about Russia.

Kallas spoke to reporters after President Alar Karis accepted her request for ministers from the Centre party, including Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets, to be removed from the government.

The dismissal of the Centre party follows weeks of political deadlock, including a vote on an education bill in which the coalition partner voted against the government and with the far-right EKRE opposition instead.

Read more: How Estonia intends to avoid Russian propaganda

“It’s honest to say that this agreement is over and we’re going to form a new coalition,” Kallas said.

Kallas’s Reform party has proposed to begin coalition talks with the right-wing Isamaa conservatives and the Social Democrats.

The Centre and Reform parties have alternated in government over the nearly three decades since Estonia broke free from the crumbling Soviet Union.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has spooked the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are all EU and NATO members.

Kallas said she hoped the conflict “would have opened the eyes of all the parliamentary parties to the importance of a common understanding of the threats for us as a country neighboring Russia”.

In a Facebook post, she said Estonia’s future would be secured not just by increased military spending but also “the unity of our people and the unwavering will to defend our independence”.

Until a new coalition is formed, the ministers who remain in the cabinet will take over the roles of those who have been dismissed.

If the talks fail, the government would fall apart, and new elections will be required.

Read more: Zelensky urges EU end ‘quarrels’, adopt oil sanctions on Russia