Evelin Poolamets re-elected chair of EKRE's council of representatives

The council of representatives of Estonia's Conservative People's Party (EKRE) gathered in Paide for its first meeting following the party's recent congress. Evelin Poolamets was re-elected chair of the council, while Külli Lumi was elected as her deputy.

Other candidates for the chair position included entrepreneur Küllo Kingo, who heads the party's Tartu-Jõgeva branch board, and Mart Kallas, a member of EKRE's board and chair of the party's West Tallinn branch. Poolamets was already the sitting chair of the council of representatives; she is also a member of the Riigikogu, a member of EKRE's board, a member of ERR's council, and chair of the Vinni rural municipality council.

For the deputy chair role, besides Lumi, a teacher from Pärnu County, the candidates were sailor Riho Nüüd from the Ida-Tallinn branch and Mulgimaa politician Enn Sarv.

Helme questions government's legitimacy

At the meeting, EKRE chairman Martin Helme argued that the current government no longer has a mandate or legitimacy to make decisions. He said the current Riigikogu should not elect the next president, nor should it appoint, for example, the next chancellor of justice.

Helme said Estonia should have direct presidential elections, but if not, the president should at least be chosen by the Electoral College, since at least half of its members represent local governments elected more recently than the current parliament. He said EKRE wants the decision on electing the president to be handed to the people rather than made by the current Riigikogu.