Governmental policy, along with individuals failing to comply with coronavirus restrictions, are to blame for recently soaring coronavirus rates in Estonia, President Alar Karis says. Karis singled out governmental communication on the pandemic and its ensuing restrictions in particular.
The Reform Party, Isamaa and the Social Democratic Party (SDE) signed an agreement Friday which will see them govern Estonia's second city, Tartu, in coalition. Urmas Klaas (Reform) will stay on as Tartu mayor. The new coalition's term will include Tartu's year as European Capital of Culture, in 2024.
Eesti 200 chairwoman Kristina Kallas said her party is prepared to put together a coalition with Reform Party in the city of Tartu, but admitted that the city center park idea may be a contentious topic.
Sunday's local elections were a lackluster affair for nearly all the leaders of Estonia's major political parties, running as 'flagship' vote-attracting candidates but in many cases polling lower than less well-known figures. The one exception was Eesti 200 chief, Kristina Kallas; while Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) leader Martin Helme was the most-voted-for candidate from his party, his overall vote count was nothing special in the context of the electoral district he ran in.