A new political party aimed at representing the interests of older people held its founding meeting Saturday. The party, called Generations (Põlvkonnad), currently has 50 members but hopes to recruit the 500 needed for official registration by the end of November, with the goal of running in the March general elections.

Ago Kokser, one of the leaders of the new party, said Generations was being established to ensure that older people's voices are heard. However, the party also hopes to appeal to voters across different age groups.

According to Kokser, the idea of forming a political party emerged after the Estonian Union of Pensioners' Associations went several years without receiving state operating subsidies, leaving its resources increasingly depleted. Rather than disband, its members decided to establish a political party.

"After Saturday evening's meeting, word started spreading and we now have our own website where people can sign up as members. As of Sunday, we already have 50 members," Kokser said.

The party has not yet defined its political ideology or decided whether it will position itself on the left or right of the political spectrum.

"We want everyone to have a good life and for the needs of all residents, both young and old, to be taken into account," Kokser said. He added that the party wants greater support for large families, older people and opportunities for them to participate in community activities and discussions.

Despite its origins in the pensioners' movement, Generations does not intend to focus exclusively on older voters.

"Everyone is welcome in our party, which is why we chose the name Generations," Kokser said.

He said the party would also focus on young families, including how they cope financially, establish themselves in adult life and the quality of education in schools.

Kokser also criticized existing political parties for making promises only to reverse them later.

"Parties promise something one day and take it back the next. We want to put an end to that and ensure Estonia has a sustainable future," he said.

The new party currently has no financial backers and is relying entirely on volunteers.

"To be frank, we don't have any," Kokser said when asked about campaign funding. "Right now, we're operating purely on goodwill and people's free time. We don't have the money for large billboards or major online advertising campaigns, but we do have social media and our personal networks."

Kokser declined to predict how many seats Põlvkonnad might win in the Riigikogu if it succeeds in registering in time to take part in the elections.

"We're not making predictions at this stage. We don't have high expectations for our first election, but simply getting into the Riigikogu would be a major step forward," he said.

He also declined to name any prominent figures who have joined the party, saying its membership remains relatively small.

"Those names will come," Kokser said. "For now, we're still a small group and I'm not going to name names."

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