Solman: Isamaa to Hit Peak Form for the Real Election Fight
Riina Solman, deputy chair of Estonia's Isamaa party, attributes the party's fall in the polls to an earlier inflated rating and says it will peak once the real campaign begins. Isamaa wants 32 seats in the Riigikogu but realistically expects 20–25.
Riina Solman, deputy chair of Estonia's conservative Isamaa party, has commented to public broadcaster ERR on the party's slipping poll numbers ahead of the next Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament, elections. Both an Emor study published last week and a Norstat poll released on Wednesday show the Centre Party overtaking Isamaa in support.
Solman said Isamaa's high rating had contained an "airy component" that was bound to fade as competition intensified. In her view, now that other parties are putting up posters and running campaigns, this shows up immediately in the polls. She described the earlier support as a line of credit, noting that some voters are undecided and back whoever is most visible at the moment. According to her, the party's regular and potential voters remain firmly behind Isamaa, and the plan is to reach peak form just as the real contest begins. The decline has not prompted crisis meetings.
Target: 20–25 seats
The party would like to increase its previous result of eight seats in parliament fourfold, to 32. Solman acknowledged, however, that being realistic means aiming for 20 to 25 mandates.
Assessment of rivals
Solman said the Social Democrats grab attention aggressively and campaign actively against other parties. In her view, newcomers such as Jonatan Vseviov create an impression of a major advantage. She attributed the Centre Party's success to steady, hard work. She called the Reform Party's new campaign videos successful, but criticised the choice of the actor in the coach role: Andres Mähar, she said, had loudly told the Reform Party where to go about ten years ago, and memes about it are now circulating online.
Campaign plans
Isamaa intends to launch its main campaign at the start of next year, with smaller Christmas campaigns across Estonia beforehand. Solman did not wish to reveal new slogans. She also condemned politicians switching parties, especially party leaders. She stressed that this was not aimed at Jüri Ratas, who left the Centre Party in January 2024 to join Isamaa and who, she said, had different reasons.
