Fresh polling results from the Institute for Societal Studies and Norstat Eesti show that Isamaa has widened its lead over its closest rival, the Center Party. According to party leader Urmas Reinsalu, Isamaa has proven itself above all to Estonian voters seeking an alternative to the parties currently in power.

"I believe the most important thing for political parties is to focus on substance — on how we can, from this point of emptiness, create a situation where the outcome of elections generates the creative energy needed to restore trust. I am convinced that Isamaa is a reliable and calm force in difficult times and we are working to be ready to take responsibility for governing the country in 2027," Reinsalu said.

Reinsalu also argued that the greatest problem in politics today is not politicians suffering or playing political games, but rather a divided society and a loss of trust.

"We are talking about the economy, people's ability to cope, young families' insecurity about starting families and broader problems. Politicians' task is to articulate these societal needs and convincingly earn trust. The problem today is that trust between citizens and the current political leadership has broken down and must be restored. Isamaa's conviction and ambition is to embody that alternative. We can lead Estonia back to growth, but because the challenges are so complex, this cannot be the task of any single political party alone. It requires very strong dialogue with the creative community, scientists and entrepreneurs — and that is exactly what we are doing now. This morning I had a very serious meeting with cultural organizations and the main issue we discussed was not economic questions but how to restore energy and optimism in society. My message is that we can and will manage this," the Isamaa chairman said.

According to Reinsalu, Estonia's parliamentary culture has undergone negative backsliding not seen in generations.

"I have told members of my own party that we must avoid allowing society to descend into a spiral of confrontation because it is possible to break that cycle. If the Estonian people place their trust in us and the responsibility for governing falls to Isamaa through the will of Estonian men and women, we are ready to make the effort. We will seek dialogue both with society more broadly and with opposition forces in parliament," Reinsalu said.

According to Reinsalu, the crisis of trust is not primarily about conflicts between politicians, but about ordinary Estonians no longer feeling that decisions made by the state reflect their expectations.

"The dialogue has broken down in reality. After the 2023 elections, Alar Karis formulated it very correctly when he said that democracy does not end with elections. Unfortunately, the current political leadership chose a path where it effectively did end with elections — they are now operating without sensing the negative feedback coming from society. Our shared task must be figuring out how to restart that feedback environment and elections create an opportunity for that. I already see negative signs in the prime minister's rhetoric — it is framed through fear and confrontation. I told him today in frank dialogue that it is the wrong path to offer people fear instead of a vision for the future. My message is the opposite. I tell people: do not be afraid," the Isamaa chairman said.

However, according to host Andres Kuusk, there are people within the Reform Party who accuse Isamaa itself of frightening society.

"You constantly write to the prime minister saying how everything is being done wrong. It is endless criticism — no matter what they do, they get attacked by you," Kuusk said.

Reinsalu said he follows two fundamental principles. First, he avoids making things personal because, in his view, that is a shallow style of behavior. Second, he avoids rhetoric aimed at pitting parts of society against each other.

"There is a very interesting formulation in the German constitution: the federal chancellor swears an oath to be fair to all of German society. When I look at our prime minister's behavior, it seems to me that something has broken down. This is a unique situation where the head of government cannot even project the idea that he is the prime minister of the whole nation and all of society — naturally with his own views, sympathies and agenda. The second fundamental issue concerns security matters, which we also discussed this week. When the foundations of security policy were debated, I said unequivocally that I support the model proposed by the government. Security in Estonia must be indivisible and the core principles ensuring security must transcend governments," Reinsalu explained.

Reinsalu did not rule out future cooperation with the Reform Party, though he acknowledged it would be very difficult.

"It must be objectively acknowledged that the Reform Party's policies have failed and reached a dead end. The victims of the choices they have made are not themselves, but ordinary people, people's outlook for the future, the future of the economy and also this lost year in terms of political leadership. A year ago I said Estonia would have been better off holding snap elections, but due to party-political interests there was neither readiness nor courage among other political forces to make that happen. An important principle for me is that any future government should avoid internal dynamic confrontation. In the case of the Reform Party, I do not sense signs that they are fundamentally prepared to change their policies, so I remain rather skeptical," the Isamaa chairman said.

At the Reform Party congress over the weekend, Prime Minister Kristen Michal raised the political metaphor of what he called a "conservative octopus." Reinsalu said he actually feels sorry for Michal because, in his view, the prime minister is resorting to his last straw — fearmongering.

"With this octopus symbol, he imagines that the Reform Party exists somewhere outside Estonian society and that all these different commentators, critics, analysts and competing parties are against them. To me it seemed that the Estonian people had already long ago expressed the view that they do not trust the Reform Party's policies. Now Prime Minister Michal has effectively concluded, because of this so-called 'Estonian octopus' and critical views toward their policies, that the Reform Party no longer trusts the Estonian people. He is placing the party outside the Estonian people, but they cannot replace the people. What the people can do, however, is replace the Reform Party in the spring of 2027," Reinsalu said.

Although the Reform Party is "frightening" voters with the prospect of a government made up of Isamaa, the Center Party and EKRE, Reinsalu said he does not currently see EKRE as ready to govern.

"The current situation requires an honest and objective diagnosis of the different political forces — their capabilities and capacities, but also their shortcomings. I have previously said openly that EKRE's problem in the current situation is a lack of governing maturity, something we have seen on several occasions before," Reinsalu said.

At the same time, Reinsalu did not rule out cooperation with non-parliamentary Parempoolsed either, saying that if Isamaa enters government, it will consider which coalition could best return Estonia to growth.

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