Neither party has ruled out cooperation with the other, however, ahead of this October's local elections.

The Reform ad read: "Eastern-minded Center Party back in charge of Tallinn?" referring to a pro-Russian stance. It carried photos of Reform leader and Prime Minister Kristen Michal alongside an image of Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu. The ad presented a straight choice between Reform and Isamaa, emphasizing that Isamaa has not ruled out cooperation with the Center Party.

Michal himself said that despite this ad, which he referred to as a meme, his party is not ruling out cooperation with Isamaa.

"This meme in all its colorfulness tries to say one thing that I've also said myself: I rule out cooperation with the Centre Party and EKRE. The same has been stated by our Tallinn mayoral candidate Maris Lauri, who sees no common ground with Center or EKRE. Since Isamaa has been like a hedgehog in the fog on this, as in they don't want to [be in coalition with Center], but don't rule it out, that is likely what this draws attention to," the prime minister said.

In other words, Reform and Isamaa can cooperate on the condition that the Center Party and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) are not included.

As to whether it is wise in politics to rule out cooperation, Michal said: "This is not something that was just born today. We have been in opposition to the Center Party for a long time. In Tallinn, I helped bring down the Center Party after years of fighting back in the day."

Reform Party Tallinn board member and MP Kristo Enn Vaga also told ERR: "We will not be cooperating with the Center Party or EKRE in Tallinn."

Reform's Tallinn chair and former deputy mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere had in a letter called cooperation with the Center Party in the capital "inevitable."

Vaga explained developments in terms of Reform needing to take a clear stance. "This came about because the Reform Party has taken a clear position. Since the Center Party does not support the transition to Estonian-language education or breaking ties with the Russian church, we do not plan to cooperate with them in Tallinn. Isamaa hasn't said that. And that probably means their values align with those of the Center Party and EKRE," he said, also noting that the short-lived online ad does not spell ruling out cooperation with Isamaa.

As to why the ad had been taken down from social media and whether that would remain the case, Vaga was unable to answer, stating that it was up to Isamaa to state clearly whether they will cooperate with Center and EKRE, both of whose party chairs are running in Tallinn, or not.

Reinsalu: Reform engaging in 'political flailing'

Isamaa's riposte to the Reform ad was to issue one of its own, laid out along similar lines, and criticizing Reform for its tax hikes.

Reinsalu called the Reform Party's ad "political flailing," and called for extraordinary Riigikogu elections to be held in tandem with the local elections.

"None of us is noble in our agony, as, admittedly a Reform politician, once said about another party," Reinsalu commented on the ad.

"In the past month, the Reform Party has, I believe, in a world-record fashion, exited the current Tallinn coalition twice — a coalition in which Isamaa has invested in good faith. This political flailing is a broader problem. It is a sign that Estonia is being governed by a political party that has failed in a public trust crisis," he said.

"If the Reform Party left the Tallinn coalition twice, then by common sense, I conclude that they are ruling out those they were in coalition with just weeks ago. They also rule out a coalition with the rest of the opposition," he continued, also qualifying his words by not ruling out future cooperation with the Reform Party.

"I do not favor the Center Party returning to lead the city for several reasons, but I must admit that I have truly lost all trust in the Reform Party's politics and its substantive competence," he added.

Center was in office in Tallinn, mostly as the sole party, for nearly 20 years, until a vote of no-confidence in Mihhail Kõlvart as mayor passed, in April 2024. This was followed by the entry into office of the Isamaa-Reform-SDE-Eesti 200 coalition. Following controversy over the scrapping of monthly kindergarten fees in the capital starting in early June, the Reform Party was dismissed from office by Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE) after issuing a no-confidence motion in him. Ossinovski then readmitted Reform to the coalition after it backed down on the motion. However, when Reform's bill to scrap kindergarten fees failed to pass a city council vote on July 21, Pere stepped down as deputy mayor, followed the next day by the wholesale exit of Reform from the city government.

The Center Party itself has ruled out cooperation with Reform.

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