Estonia's non-parliamentary conservative parties plan merger
The Estonian Nationalists and Conservatives (ERK) has decided to merge with the Estonian Freedom Party – Farmers Assembly (EVP-PL).
At an extraordinary general meeting held Thursday, members of the Estonian Nationalists and Conservatives (ERK) unanimously approved a merger with the Estonian Freedom Party – Farmers' Assembly (EVP-PL).
Once the required procedures in the business register have been completed, activities will continue under the new composition at a joint general meeting where the party's chair, vice chairs, board members and members of the court of honor will be elected. Possible proposals to change the party's name and update its platform will also be submitted.
According to the business register, ERK has 509 members and EVP-PL has 553. This means that the merged party would have a total of 1,064 members.
ERK was founded in 2024 following an internal dispute within Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE).
As a result of the dispute, several senior members were expelled from the party, including Henn Põlluaas, Jaak Valge, Silver Kuusik and Helle Kullerkupp. Jaak Madison, Ants Frosch and Leo Kunnas later also left the party.
Valge, Kuusik, Kullerkupp and Frosch joined ERK, with Kuusik becoming the party's chair.
EVP-PL was founded in 1992 and is chaired by Rein Koch.
In the 1995 parliamentary elections, the Farmers' Assembly participated in the electoral alliance Coalition Party and Rural People's Union, which won the election, resulting in two EVP-PL members gaining seats in the Riigikogu.
In the 2007 parliamentary elections, members of the Farmers' Assembly ran on the list of Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit (IRL).
Support for both parties has remained below 1 percent in recent polls.
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Editor: Märten Hallismaa, Marcus Turovski
