Kõlvart said it's understandable that the head of Estonia's ruling party wants to improve his image, but there are more dignified ways to do so than days of bitter social media posts and emotional statements during government press conferences.

"Our political culture has to improve, and that starts with maintaining your dignity — win or lose," Kõlvart wrote.

He criticized Michal for what he called a double standard. This summer, the prime minister said he wouldn't get involved in Tallinn's political affairs, yet this week, he "not only made numerous social media posts on Tallinn-related issues but also devoted a long statement at [Thursday's] government press conference to current coalition talks in Tallinn."

Kõlvart emphasized that Michal did so "not even as a private person or party chair, but in his role as prime minister."

He added that just four years ago, after the previous local elections, the Reform Party had very clearly expressed interest in governing Tallinn together with the Center Party. At the time, MIchal — then chair of the party's Tallinn chapter — acknowledged that as his own initiative.

Kõlvart also recalled this past summer, when Reform admitted Tallinn's four-party ruling coalition wasn't working and quit the alliance not just once, but twice within the span of a week.

"Even then, the public was sent mixed signals about [Reform's] future plans, which everyone can interpret for themselves," he said.

"Thus," he added, "the esteemed prime minister's current hysteria is rather hypocritical."

Kõlvart said the timing made Michal's remarks especially ironic. "At a time when the country is governed by a coalition with now less than 13 percent support — whose policies [voters] soundly rejected at the polls," he said.

"Tallinn's coalition talks involve the two parties with the highest national support, and that coalition would be the most democratic expression of the will of the people," he added.

The Center Party, which won the most Tallinn City Council seats in last month's local elections, began coalition talks this week with Isamaa.

Reform chair and Prime Minister Kristen Michal has publicly attacked Isamaa both before and after the two parties' talks began, Kõlvart said. In one post, Michal claimed Isamaa was pro-Russian, displaying the party's logo in Cyrillic script with the caption, "So that's the next four years, then. Тип-топ!" ("Tip-top!")

He also suggested that Isamaa chair and MP Urmas Reinsalu top his Christmas tree with a five-pointed red star, a widespread symbol from the Soviet occupation era.

Michal has likewise tried to link cooperation between the Center Party and Isamaa with the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) and the Latvian Saeima's decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention.

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