Tallinn mayor calls for SDE–Isamaa–Reform–Parempoolsed coalition talks
Tallinn mayor and Social Democrat Jevgeni Ossinovski said Monday he proposed that SDE, Isamaa, Reform and Parempoolsed start coalition talks after Sunday's local elections.
Ossinovski, deputy chair of the Social Democratic Party (SDE) and the party's mayoral candidate this election, said the proposal follows discussions with the other parties and comes as no surprise to them
"The majority of Tallinn voters signaled they do not want the Center Party back in city government," he said at a brief press conference following Monday afternoon's SDE Tallinn chapter board meeting. "It is the moral duty of the other parties to start talks on forming a new governing coalition."
The SDE, he said, believes those four parties — the Social Democrats, Isamaa, Reform and Parempoolsed, the top four winners following Center in Tallinn — can reach an agreement and work together.
He hopes talks will begin quickly.
Asked who might take the mayor's office in the Estonian capital, Ossinovski hinted it could go to the SDE again.
"The Social Democrats' vision is that, since we received the highest support among the four parties, we would like to form this coalition," he said. "But in other respects, positions will be discussed once those negotiations begin."
Other parties not yet confirmed
Isamaa's Tallinn chapter board is set to meet Thursday to discuss the current political situation in the capital.
"We held an info session today with our mayoral candidate, current deputy mayors and city councilmembers to get an overview of the situation in Tallinn following yesterday's elections," said Tallinn chapter chair Riina Solman.
"Following our discussion, we decided to convene the Tallinn chapter board for a meeting Thursday evening to review our next steps for potentially forming a coalition," she noted.
Reform Party mayoral candidate Maris Lauri told ERR that the party board is meeting in less than an hour to discuss the SDE's proposal.
"Personally, I think it deserves consideration," she said. "But we'll of course discuss that in detail with the board."
Lauri added it would make sense for the Social Democrats to retain the mayor's office, since they initiated the coalition talks. "But ultimately, everything will be worked out between the parties," she said.
Parempoolsed is expected to present its own positions and goals for Tallinn later Monday evening.
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Editor: Aleksander Krjukov, Aili Vahtla
