"Due to the loss of confidence in me, I request, pursuant to the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act, that I be removed from the Estonian Conservative People's Party's parliamentary group," the politician wrote in a statement sent to the Riigikogu board.

Vooglaid currently also represents EKRE on the supervisory board of the Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR).

Vooglaid explained that in the fall of 2022, he agreed to Martin Helme's proposal to run for parliament on EKRE's list based on an agreement that was fundamentally important to him: that he would not join the party and would retain full freedom of conscience.

"Last November, however, while discussing prospects for continuing cooperation, Martin informed me that he was not willing to renew this agreement for the next election cycle. In other words, my future candidacy on EKRE's list could only be considered on the condition that I join the party and submit myself to party discipline."

Vooglaid acknowledged that, naturally, Helme as party leader has every right to set such conditions. However, since he still finds those conditions fundamentally unacceptable, he will not run for parliament again on EKRE's list in the 2027 elections.

According to Vooglaid, the issue remained unresolved for some time but became definitively clear exactly one month ago. He added that there is another side to the coin as well.

Differences in foreign and security policy

"Considering the increasingly apparent disagreements in recent times, above all regarding foreign and security policy, but also concerning the fundamental principles of political activity and organizational culture, it would have been difficult for me to decide in favor of running on EKRE's list even if the possibility of doing so without the condition of joining the party had remained."

Vooglaid noted that these issues were discussed at an extraordinary parliamentary group meeting on Wednesday where he was told he had lost the confidence of the party's de facto leadership.

"Since trust is an indispensable prerequisite for any cooperation, I cannot regard such a reproach as anything but very serious. Having carefully considered the situation that has developed and my choices, I see no alternative but to leave EKRE's parliamentary group. Accordingly, I submitted a corresponding statement to the Board of the Riigikogu today."

According to Vooglaid, he does not plan to run on any other party's list in future elections, though he also sees no reason to leave parliament before the end of his term.

"I do not agree with the view that the mandate belongs to the party. I will use the remaining time to continue standing up for principles important to me and to many citizens, while not wishing to oppose EKRE. At the same time, I will try to determine in what form to continue my public activities."

EKRE leader: I commend his steadfastness

EKRE chairman Martin Helme wrote on social media that heading into the next Riigikogu elections, he wants EKRE's parliamentary group in the new parliament to consist of party members.

"I proposed to Varro that he run again, but on the condition that he join the party. Unfortunately, he did not consider that possible. We therefore remain respectfully on different positions in this matter and he will not be running for us in the next Riigikogu elections. That is, of course, very regrettable, but neither of us succeeded in persuading the other to change their mind," Helme noted.

He added that he is grateful to Vooglaid for his contribution thus far and admires his steadfastness.

Helme also praised all EKRE members who contribute their time to the party's work, fielded strong candidate lists in the local elections and are now implementing EKRE's worldview and principles at the local level.

"Without that contribution, we would neither grow our party and organization nor expand our broader support in society. It is impossible to underestimate that contribution," Helme wrote.

Daily: Anti-campaign post proves decisive

Vooglaid has recently sharply criticized the actions of U.S. President Donald Trump and wrote that "the MAGA movement has been reduced to a personality cult around Trump." However, the daily Õhtuleht wrote that what allegedly proved decisive was a YouTube post Vooglaid made about the Blue Hepatica campaign and Veterans Day.

In the post, published on April 21, Vooglaid said he would not wear the blue hepatica flower on his lapel because it has become a symbol signaling so-called proper attitudes and loyalty to the system, representing a foreign and security policy program characteristic of a vassal state and the systemic lies underlying it.

In the video post, Vooglaid said he does not agree with recognizing soldiers who participated in the Estonian Defense Forces' foreign military missions as veterans because not all soldiers who have participated in wars are veterans. According to him, veterans are those who have gone to war to defend their own country, land and people. In this case, however, Vooglaid said they were mercenaries who, for good pay, took part in U.S. wars of aggression that caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.

"The line of reasoning behind the Blue Hepatica campaign — as though participating in U.S. wars of aggression amounts to participating in a war for Estonia's defense — does not withstand any criticism."

He compared participation in U.S. wars to the way Belarus behaves toward Russia in hopes of obtaining security guarantees. According to Vooglaid, however, this provides Estonia with no guarantees.

Later, he said the campaign slogan "We Honor" ("Anname au") was unacceptable to him and questioned whether people even know what Estonian men have actually done on these missions. Referring to WikiLeaks, he then said allied forces had committed war crimes and killed civilians during those missions.

According to Õhtuleht, the post angered EKRE MP and member of the Estonian Defense League Rene Kokk who allegedly presented the party chairman with an ultimatum: if the party leadership wanted Kokk to run in the next parliamentary elections, something had to be done about Vooglaid.

When Postimees asked Kokk for comment, the politician responded: "I have been considering internally the possibility of not running in the 2027 Riigikogu elections. I ask that no intrigue be sought in this. I will make a final decision on whether to run in the fall."

Varro Vooglaid ran as an independent on EKRE's list in Tallinn's 1st electoral district (Haabersti, Põhja-Tallinn and Kristiine) in the 2023 elections, received 2,518 votes and was elected to the Riigikogu.

EKRE won 17 seats in the 2023 Riigikogu elections. Before Vooglaid's departure, 10 remained; after his departure, the party is left with nine. In Norstat's latest poll, EKRE's support stood at 13.9 percent.

With the move, Vooglaid becomes the 18th unaffiliated member of the current composition of the 101-member Riigikogu.

The article was updated to add new information and comments by EKRE head Martin Helme.

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