Kõlvart edges Reinsalu as Läänemets overtakes Michal

Keskerakond leader Mihhail Kõlvart narrowly leads Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu in the latest Norstat poll on preferred prime minister, ERR reported. Kõlvart was chosen by 25.9 percent of respondents and Reinsalu by 25.3 percent.

EKRE leader Martin Helme ranked third with 13 percent, followed by Social Democratic Party leader Lauri Läänemets at 10.5 percent, Reform Party leader and Prime Minister Kristen Michal at 10.3 percent, Parempoolsed leader Lavly Perling at 10 percent and Eesti 200 leader Kristina Kallas at 5 percent.

Kõlvart’s support rose by three percentage points from the previous month, putting him at the top of the rankings. Läänemets also moved ahead of Michal, though their support was nearly even.

The poll also asked respondents to choose between pairs of candidates. Reinsalu was preferred to Michal by 51 percent to 24 percent, while 26 percent were undecided. Kõlvart led Michal by 47 percent to 36 percent, with 17 percent undecided. Reinsalu led Kõlvart by 50 percent to 35 percent, while 15 percent did not express a preference.

The Estonian Institute of Social Studies and Norstat surveyed 1,000 voting-age Estonian citizens from October 5 to 12. Results exclude respondents who said they did not know whom they preferred.

ERR also noted that a separate poll commissioned by Delfi and conducted by Turu-uuringute AS gave Kõlvart 20 percent support as prime minister and Reinsalu 16 percent in October.