The people of Estonia have held their election for the Riigikogu, what they call their parliament. Polls indicated the race would be close, though it can be debated as to how accurate they were. It can also be debated if the personal popularity of the potential prime ministers might have effected the results.
Whatever the deciding factors, the results are notable for more than one reason. And it appears that history is about to be made.
The Estonian Reform Party finished in first place
The Reform Party landed a plurality of votes cast, tallying 28.8 percent, according to The Guardian.
Ideologically, the party promotes market liberalism and low taxes. Currently, it is led by Kaja Kallas. Kallas is the daughter of former Prime Minister Siim Kallas. The elder Kallas also founded the Reform Party was a candidate for president of Estonia in 2016.
In second place was the Estonian Centre Party. As the name might suggest, the party is largely centrist in its platform. It is led by incumbent Prime Minister Juri Ratas. Polls had shown Ratas to be the most popular candidate on a personal level among voters. However, that apparently did not sway enough voters to put his party over the top.
The party that may be getting the most attention is the third place finisher. This would be the Conservative People's Party of Estonia and it's a major source of controversy.
Its leader is Mart Helme. Helme is a former Estonian ambassador to Russia and was a 2016 presidential candidate. As the AP indicates, the party has espoused nationalistic and populist beliefs. They are opposed to immigration into Estonia aside from countries within the European Union. However, the party is also hostile towards the EU itself.
Other parties getting significant votes were the conservative Pro Patria and the liberal Social Democratic Party. Both parties are currently in a governing coalition with the Centre Party. That coalition, however, no longer has the numbers to continue in its current form.
Forming a new coalition could be a difficult task. Both the Reform Party and the Centre Party have vowed not to enter into one with the Conservative People's Party.
The two party leaders have also expressed enthusiasm at forming a coalition with each other. This would be known as a 'grand coalition'. In parliamentary politics, a grand coalition occurs when the two main rivaling parties form a governing coalition together. But this feat may be easier said than done. The parties' differences on taxation, education, and citizenship could put a halt on coalition negotiations.
Estonia could be on the verge of history
Though things remain unclear, Kaja Kallas is still most likely to become the next prime minister. She would be the first woman to hold the office.
Previously, Estonia experienced a historic event in 2016 when Kersti Kalijulaid was elected president.
Kalijulaid became the first woman and the young person ever to be selected for the position.
Kalijulaid's path to the presidency was in and of itself unique. In Estonia, the president is first supposed to be elected by the Riigikogu. If that fails, an electoral college is the next step. In 2016, three rounds of voting in the Riigikogu and two in the electoral college, none of the candidates were chosen. Notably, Kersti Kalijulaid was not a candidate in any of these rounds. Instead, the process was started over and she was suggested as a compromise candidate in the Riigikogu. This approach was successful.
