Reform Party eyes at least 20 seats, will contest Estonian elections with current PM
Reform Party MP Liina Kersna said the party will go into the upcoming Riigikogu elections with current Prime Minister Kristen Michal, aiming for a result of at least 20 seats.
Estonian Reform Party MP Liina Kersna said the party's parliamentary group is in a work-focused, battle-ready mood ahead of the upcoming Riigikogu elections, even as everyone recognizes that repeating the party's previous record result will be difficult. The party currently holds 37 seats, the largest faction in parliament.
Kersna said that given current support trends, the party is unlikely to retain a group as large as today's, calling 20 seats a realistic goal and anything above that an excellent outcome. She suggested that by election day, four major parties could end up with relatively similar support, turning the race into a fight for first place.
A warning from voters
According to Kersna, the party's declining ratings reflect a clear warning from voters, shaped by several crises the party has navigated with mixed success. She said the key question now is how the party responds and works to regain public trust.
Addressing speculation about a possible leadership change or herself becoming a prime ministerial candidate, Kersna dismissed it as typical political rumor. She noted that within the Reform Party, there is only ever one chairperson and one prime minister at a time, and that the party will contest the elections with Michal as its candidate. She also referenced routine communication with opposition figures, including Isamaa's Tõnis Lukas, as a normal part of political life. Asked whether she might run for party chair in the future, Kersna did not rule it out entirely but said such a decision should rest with party members and, above all, with voters.
Criticism over ammunition procurement
On the failed ammunition procurement deal, Kersna said officials who signed the contracts should have flagged the risks to a wider circle, agreeing with the prime minister that both the government and the Riigikogu's finance committee should have been informed. She warned that the scandal's greatest damage is not to individuals or the party, but to public trust in the necessity of defense spending, even though the defense sector has otherwise used its funds effectively. Kersna added that continued support for Ukraine remains an existential issue for both European and Estonian security.
