Four Estonian parties plan to run election campaigns without agencies

The Centre Party, Social Democratic Party, Parempoolsed and EKRE plan to run their campaigns for Estonia’s 2027 parliamentary elections using their own teams rather than advertising agencies, ERR reported.

The Centre Party’s secretary general said its team had enough political experience and expertise to plan and carry out the campaign. The party had also relied on its own members for recent local and European Parliament election campaigns.

Social Democratic Party secretary general Piret Hartman said experienced party members and staff would lead its campaign. Lauri Läänemets will head the effort, with deputy chairs Jevgeni Ossinovski, Riina Sikkut, Reili Rand, Tanel Kiik and Anti Allas at the centre of the campaign team. Communications and brand staff will also contribute, as will recently joined members Jonatan Vseviov and Kadri Simson. Hartman said the party would probably need an agency to handle the technical production of television adverts.

Parempoolsed campaign manager Priit Isok said he had 30 years of experience in marketing and design. The party would work in-house and with friends because it did not have the resources of parties represented in parliament, he said. Isok said more detailed plans would be decided at a party council meeting in early December. Its main campaign slogan will be “A prosperous Estonia”, and one of its key pledges is to freeze all state spending, including the indexation of pensions.

EKRE leader Martin Helme said the party had run several campaigns on its own, saving money and allowing it to work more quickly. He said EKRE would also make considerable use of artificial intelligence. The party has begun campaigning and completed its first television advert, slogan and design. Its candidate lists are ready, and it plans to finalise its programme by the end of the year. Helme said EKRE last used an advertising agency in 2019.