In a social media post titled "Why I'm leaving the Conservative People's Party," Ernits writes that while he commends both the current and former party chairs for building EKRE, Martin and Mart Helme have by now become obstacles on the party's path to power.

"The party headed by Martin and Mart Helme cannot keep its promises to voters or protect Estonia and our culture against encroaching global leveling and "new normalities." Therefore, we are cheating not only our loyal members, but also our voters. What's worse, we are ridiculing the conservative worldview," the politician noted.

"I see no place for myself in the party. The best I can wish for EKRE is a new leader! And I'm not talking about myself," Ernits added.

He said while EKRE is the leading opposition force, the party's rage has seen it dig itself deeper and deeper into a hole.

"We have lost our credibility in the Riigikogu and in the eyes of many recent and potential voters. Politics is the art of compromise. You don't have to be the biggest to come to power. In order to protect the interests of one's voters, one needs to be able to treat one's partners with dignity. Unfortunately, we have been unable to do that."

"A growing personality cult, lack of self-criticism and nepotism on the one hand, fear among members of being labeled a spy and evicted after complaining in private on the other. We have scared away intelligent people, while mediocre camp followers feel just fine in the party. We have a short substitutes bench and lack experts who are taken seriously in many fields. The decisions are made by the [Helme] family."

Ernits believes EKRE gambled away any chance of being involved in a coalition following the 2023 election by being defiant and difficult.

"We made the government in 2019. /.../ Unfortunately, we gambled away the time given to us by engaging in pointless vainglory and insults, next to a disastrous staffing policy. Our biggest failure was being unable to seize the historic opportunity we were given. The recent Riigikogu elections proved disastrous as well. While it is true that our competition did their best to demonize us, that is only half the truth. The other half concerns the actions of the party's leaders – Mart and Martin Helme. By blaming EKRE's result on e-voting alone, the family is reluctant to admit that it was their shortsighted personnel policy that saw efforts to change e-voting come to nothing," Ernits noted.

The politician has criticized EKRE management in the past. Ernits unsuccessfully ran for party chairman last year and told ERR at the time that the way EKRE is run is reminiscent of the Center Party under Edgar Savisaar.

Ernits did not make it to the parliament after the 2023 Riigikogu elections, running in Tartu and Jõgeva counties and landing 2,933 votes.

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