Kallas says parties struggle to recruit new political candidates

Estonian parties are drawing up candidate lists for next spring’s parliamentary elections, but Eesti 200 leader Kristina Kallas says they are struggling to attract newcomers to politics. Other parties told public broadcaster ERR they do not share her assessment.

Eesti 200 has remained at around 2 percent in opinion polls for a prolonged period, a level that would leave it outside the new Riigikogu, Estonia’s parliament, to be elected on March 7. Members are divided over whether the party should run, and several have announced they are leaving politics or quitting the party.

Kallas said the candidate lists were being prepared and should be complete by January. Local party branches were working to bring in new faces, she said, but added that newcomers were reluctant to enter politics across the political spectrum.

The Social Democratic Party said its lists were about two-thirds complete. Party leader Lauri Läänemets cited recent members Daniel Kõiv, Kadri Simson and Kristel Voltenberg, and said more new and well-known people were joining. He also predicted tensions in the Reform Party over its candidate list and said he did not rule out some parties seeking to merge.

Reform Party parliamentary group leader Õnne Pillak said the party had no shortage of candidates. Former energy and environment minister Andres Sutt was the only person who had confirmed he would not run, she said, adding that, to her knowledge, the others planned to stand. Pillak named Minister of Economic Affairs and Industry Liina Vahtras as a new candidate, but could not say whether Martin Herem would run.

Isamaa’s communications chief, Viljar Voog, said the party was still compiling its lists, with much of the work taking place in local branches. He said Isamaa’s list would include both experienced candidates and new faces.

Centre Party parliamentary group leader Lauri Laats said the party welcomed new members and had not yet confirmed its regional lead candidates. He said many people wanted to enter parliament, but the lists were limited and some would miss out. The party would also include new and well-known candidates, he said.

EKRE board member Rain Epler said the party was continually bringing in new people and planned to field a full list, though it was too early to say who would run in each region. Rein Suurkask, leader of the Estonian Nationalists and Conservatives party, said it planned to complete its lists by January.