Kõlvart won't rule out government post, dodges question on returning as Tallinn mayor

Mihhail Kõlvart, leader of the Centre Party and chairman of the Tallinn City Council, avoided giving a direct answer in an interview with Rus.ERR about whether he will take over as Tallinn mayor at the end of 2027. He said that for him personally, a specific portfolio does not matter — what matters is the real ability to get things done, whether at the municipal or the state level.

Asked about a possible role in government following the next parliamentary elections, Kõlvart said the Centre Party has the potential and support needed to join a new government. He added that he intends to take on a position of responsibility regardless of level, arguing that portfolios themselves, in his view, hold questionable value without the ability to actually accomplish something.

Asked how voters would react if he ultimately does not become Tallinn's mayor, Kõlvart said that politicians are judged primarily at elections, and that voters will assess performance rather than titles held. When pressed directly on whether he would become mayor or a minister, Kõlvart did not give a definitive answer, saying no one can say at this point and that only voters will decide in about six months.

Coalition agreement

Following the 2025 municipal elections, the Centre Party and Isamaa formed a coalition in Tallinn. Under the agreement, an Isamaa representative serves as mayor for the first two years while the Centre Party holds the council chairmanship — positions currently held by Peeter Raudsepp and Mihhail Kõlvart. In the coalition's second two-year period, the mayor's post will pass to the Centre Party while Isamaa will chair the council. Ahead of the elections, the Centre Party had named Kõlvart as its mayoral candidate. He previously served as Tallinn's mayor from April 2019 to March 2024.