Michal, who is also Reform's leader, told "Esimene stuudio": "I generally still maintain that I support President Karis, and I believe Karis can count on that, but he must still announce or decide on his candidacy."

"If he has the support of the parties, then this election will certainly not be held up by the Reform Party," the prime minister added.

Michal made his comments following controversy this week over potential nominees as presidential candidate, and the interface between Reform and the Social Democrats (SDE) on this, with both parties accusing the other of having been misleading.

A majority of 68 or more votes at the 101-seat Riigikogu is required to elect a president this fall, meaning cross-party support is needed just months before the next Riigikogu elections in spring 2027.

Michal rejected speculation that his party could support an SDE candidate in the presidential election, in order to secure the coalition's survival.

"Coalition votes are not at risk. Its collapse has been forecast for a long time now; we have weathered all crises, and if I remember correctly, the Social Democrats have been going around with that kind of talk since 2024," Michal said.

SDE was in office with Reform and Eesti 200 until it was expelled from the coalition just over a year ago.

Michal added SDE have not officially asked Reform to back the candidacy of MEP Marina Kaljurand, who last ran in the presidential elections in 2016.

Vice versa, Michal said Reform has not proposed a candidate to SDE either, a claim at the heart of this week's controversy, adding no decision has been made within his party's leadership regarding a candidate.

An SMS message sent by Reform's Secretary General and MP Kristo Enn Vaga to SDE MP Tanel Kiik containing the names of possible presidential candidates was simply part of a discussion, Michal said, and was not an attempt to strong-arm SDE.

Vaga's message, which he made public on his social media page after Kiik had said he might do the same, was sent just a couple of hours after a Riigikogu council of elders meeting, Michal added.

The council of elders, consisting of the speaker and his two deputies and the six party faction leaders, has the final say in electing a president if the Riigikogu and the electoral college fail to do so.

Ultimately, SDE's leaking of behind-closed-doors talks on who might be a presidential candidate have backfired, Michal said. "Right now, I can imagine that the Social Democrats have effectively removed themselves from the political landscape by publishing such behind-the-scenes discussions."

Michal: Defense partnership with U.S. is 'impeccable'

The rest of the "Esimene stuudio" segment with the prime minister dealt with criticism made by former Tallinn deputy mayor Pärtel-Peeter Pere.

"My list of strengths and weaknesses—both would probably be quite long, at least I like to think so. I don't know which would be longer," Michal said of this criticism.

Pere, who had been Reform's leader in Tallinn, left the party late last week, citing an overly micro-managing approach by Michal. He will still sit on Tallinn City Council as an independent.

Michal rejected criticism of the "Blue-Black-White" Reform issued X, denying this was a political hijacking of the national flag.

He did concede that AI was used in the manifesto's drafting, however. "Certainly, part of that text has also gone through AI. It is also checked with AI, and I think that is very good," Michal added.

Michal rejected claims the recent postponement of a planned excise duty hike was a sweetener ahead of the 2027 Riigikogu elections.

He also reaffirmed his stance that while Estonia has an "impeccable" defensive partnership with the U.S. – as evidenced by Estonia's offer to send aid in response to Donald Trump's Strait of Hormuz appeal – the state does not back "MAGA" politics.

Ultimately, "a strong and functioning European Union is also in the interests of the Estonian people. From that perspective, there is nothing to be ashamed of," Michal concluded.

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