EKRE ousts dozens of members over rival local election bids
The Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) has expelled more than 30 members for running on rival lists in next month's local elections.
"Wherever we run our own candidate list, our members either run on our list or don't run at all," said party chair Martin Helme.
"If they do so anyway, then they are violating our [party] statutes," he continued. "All the more, it begs the question why they're in our party at all."
EKRE has taken the same approach ahead of the 2017 and 2021 local elections and Riigikogu elections, noting that such cases have continued to decrease.
Last year, hundreds of members left EKRE after several prominent politicians were expelled, with some going on to form a new party, the Estonian Nationalists and Conservatives (ERK).
ERK will also field candidates in next month's local elections, saying earlier this summer that Tartu is its top priority as the new party works to establish itself.
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Editor: Mirjam Mäekivi, Aili Vahtla
