Reform Party votes against free kindergarten across Estonia
The ruling Reform Party on Monday opposed a Riigikogu bill that would have made kindergarten nationwide, despite supporting a similar measure in Tallinn earlier this year.
The proposal, put forward by the opposition Social Democratic Party (SDE), would have made kindergarten free starting September 1, 2026.
MP Heljo Pikhof (SDE) said about one-tenth of Estonian children miss out on early education because of high fees. Kindergarten fees vary by local government, ranging from €10–123 a month, plus meal costs.
Pikhof noted that local governments can set fees up to 20 percent of the national minimum wage, but this discretion has created wide regional disparities.
She added the change would cost roughly €66 million annually, based on a total enrollment of 66,676 during the 2024–2025 school year.
The Riigikogu, however, rejected the bill 39-25 with 19 abstentions. Eighteen of 101 MPs were absent from the vote. Among Reform Party members, 23 MPs voted against the bill and nine abstained.
Reform: Kindergarten fees a local issue
Opposition MPs criticized the Reform Party for supporting free kindergarten in Tallinn this summer but opposing it nationally.
Asked by ERR why the party didn't support abolishing kindergarten fees nationwide, Reform whip MP Õnne Pillak said, "Kindergarten fees and early childhood education are local government issues. Each local government can decide for itself whether to charge kindergarten fees or not."
When asked about the apparent contradiction with the party's moves in Tallinn this summer, Pillak reiterated that it's a local government-level decision.
"We haven't changed the law to make early childhood education the state's responsibility," she noted.
Divisive support in Tallinn
This summer, the Reform Party, then part of Tallinn's four-party ruling coalition, unexpectedly joined opposition Center Party members to back the elimination of monthly kindergarten fees in the capital, splitting the city government.
At the start of summer, Reform and Center simultaneously submitted proposals to abolish monthly kindergarten fees in Tallinn. Coalition partners SDE, Isamaa and Eesti 200 opposed the move and accused Reform of colluding with the Center Party.
Debates over timing grew tense, and Mayor Jevgeni Ossinovski (SDE) and Deputy Mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere (Reform) traded accusations as the split within the ruling coalition came to a head.
On June 26, Reform announced it no longer supported Ossinovski as mayor; the next day, it nominated businessman Urmas Sõõrumaa for mayor, ending the coalition. Ossinovski responded by dismissing the city's Reform deputy mayors.
Pere called for cooperation with the Center Party, and Reform threatened to back a no-confidence vote against Ossinovski as mayor, however Reform party leader and Prime Minister Kristen Michal confirmed the party would move into the opposition in Tallinn.
On July 3, Sõõrumaa withdrew from the mayoral race. Ossinovski then invited Reform back into the coalition. Reform accepted, did not support the no-confidence vote against the mayor and its deputy mayors were reinstated on July 8.
Despite the opposition of the coalition Eesti 200, a joint decision was made to eliminate monthly kindergarten fees in Tallinn from September 1.
A vote in Tallinn City Council on July 21 failed, however, as Center and the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) did not support it. The following day, Reform left the city's ruling coalition.
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Editor: Valner Väino, Aili Vahtla
