Jüristo says senior departures are bad news for Reform Party

The departure of several senior Reform Party politicians from the next parliamentary election is bad news for the party, and Defence Minister Martin Herem’s candidacy would be crucial, Tarmo Jüristo, head of the Liberal Citizen Foundation (SALK), told ERR.

In September, former minister Andres Sutt announced he was leaving politics. Over the past two weeks, former education minister Liina Kersna, former minister Maris Lauri and long-serving Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur have said they will not run in the next parliamentary election. Pevkur also announced on Wednesday that he was leaving politics.

Jüristo pointed to the candidates’ results in the previous election to illustrate their significance. Pevkur received about 6,500 votes, the sixth-highest result for the Reform Party, while Kersna and Lauri each received around 4,000. Sutt received 3,300 votes. Isamaa leader Urmas Reinsalu, by comparison, received just under 4,500.

The party may hope its brand will retain loyal voters, who could choose another candidate on its list, Jüristo said. But individual candidates can have a strong effect in an election, he added, noting that the departing politicians were well-known figures who had served as ministers. He said he could not estimate how many seats their absences might cost the party.

Jüristo said it was now critical for the Reform Party to persuade Herem to run. The party needs a candidate associated with security policy, particularly as the Social Democrats have former Foreign Ministry Secretary General Jonatan Vseviov in that field, he said.

Herem’s role as defence minister would not necessarily help the party’s campaign if he did not appear on its candidate list and campaign posters, Jüristo said. He added that Pevkur’s departure would be difficult for the party to cover.

Jüristo said the timing of the announcements reflected the need for parties to finalise their election lists. He did not believe Pevkur was leaving because he had failed to secure his preferred position on the list or his preferred constituency.