Läänemets backs no-confidence bid if Reinsalu forms new government

Estonian Social Democratic Party leader Lauri Läänemets said the party would consider supporting a no-confidence motion against the government if Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu can offer a functioning alternative coalition, ERR reported.

“We are ready to consider a no-confidence motion if two conditions are met. First, a functioning alternative government must be offered in its place. We cannot plunge the country into chaos. Second, Urmas Reinsalu must show that he has all the other votes needed for this,” Läänemets told ERR after a meeting of the Social Democrats’ board.

“We understand that if those signatures are not there, things will go as Urmas Reinsalu has said for the past year and a half: he will not actually be able to get anything done,” he added.

Läänemets said the Social Democrats would not join the Reform Party in the same government.

“How Reinsalu wants to resolve this plan is up to him,” Läänemets said.

Reinsalu has so far said that snap parliamentary elections should be held after the current government is removed by a no-confidence vote. Läänemets said the Social Democrats still opposed early elections.

“Snap elections would plunge Estonia into chaos. In reality, they would deprive us of the election debate needed to decide Estonia’s direction. We do not simply need protest elections against the Reform Party. We need to decide on a new direction for Estonia, and we want that to be discussed,” Läänemets said.

He said the Social Democrats were nevertheless dissatisfied with the current government.

“It is obvious that this government has lost its legitimacy and does not have the public’s trust. It is clear that the government led by Kristen Michal has not actually managed to run the country. All these ministerial changes are really intended to obscure the problems,” Läänemets said.

Leaders of Isamaa, the Centre Party and EKRE said last week that they expected the opposition Social Democratic Party to join a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Kristen Michal. They said they would proceed without the Social Democrats if necessary.