Liina Kersna says she will step away from politics

Reform Party member and Estonian MP Liina Kersna announced Tuesday that she plans to take a break from politics and will not run in next spring’s parliamentary election, ERR reported.

Kersna said she had viewed politics as a temporary privilege and had never considered herself a lifelong professional politician. Voters had elected her three times, giving her a total of 12 years in parliament, she said.

She described recent years as difficult, saying she felt responsible for political decisions she had little or no influence over. The ongoing sense of guilt had worn her down, she said.

Kersna said she wanted to avoid becoming embittered or adapting to political life. She plans to spend at least some time outside day-to-day politics and take responsibility only for her own decisions and choices. If the opportunity arises, she may apply for postdoctoral study at a foreign university.

She also urged people with vision and experience in education to run for parliament, saying education should remain the foundation of society.