Estonia: Political Developments and Data in 2023

Abstract

Parliamentary elections in March 2023 brought a stronger than ever mandate for the ruling Reform Party, which formed a new all-liberal coalition with the Social Democratic Party and Estonia 200. However, the deteriorating public image of the Prime Minister and her party, the fact that Estonia 200 lost its new party image, and the political decisions made by the new government brought government approval and support drastically down by the end of the year. Struggling to tackle a growing budget deficit and to invigorate an economy in recession, it was a politically tough year for Estonia. And the fact that all viable coalitions until the next parliamentary elections in 2027 must include the Reform Party was likely to keep politics rigid, on the one hand, and tense on the other.