Jaagant says Social Democrats gain as voters rethink first choices

The Social Democratic Party has gained support as some voters lose confidence in their usual first-choice party, journalist Urmas Jaagant said in an interview on ERR’s Aktuaalne kaamera news programme. He cautioned that the shift could reverse as elections approach.

Jaagant said the Social Democrats had long been a second choice for many voters. He said the distinction between liberal parties, including the Reform Party and the Social Democrats, may be less pronounced than it was years ago, while some parties’ policies have become harder to reconcile with their former public image. That may be one reason voters are reconsidering their preferred party, he said.

Recent changes in an Emor poll have been sharp, Jaagant said, adding that more time would be needed to determine whether they signal a lasting shift. He attributed the decline in support for Isamaa partly to a lack of new ideas and prominent names, but said the party could still have undisclosed agreements or introduce new candidates.

Jaagant said little was known publicly about Jonatan Vseviov, whom he said had an agreement with the Social Democrats. People who follow politics closely may know his views on security, defence and foreign policy, he said, but a prime ministerial candidate would need to address a much wider range of issues.

Some parties have started campaigning, but Jaagant said voters had so far seen only the first steps. He expects the campaign to include attacks on the Reform Party. Isamaa is likely to focus on the economy, though he said that may be difficult because all parties currently represented in parliament had had a chance to govern and contributed to the growth of debt. Security could again become a campaign issue, he said, but he hoped it would not dominate the contest.