Estonian Second-Placed Center Rejects Coalition Deal With Top Reform Party -Prime Minister
Estonia's liberal Center Party will not enter a coalition with opposition Reform Party after losing to it in last week's parliamentary polls, Prime Minister Juri Ratas said Friday
Reform Party of Kaja Kallas, tipped to become the next prime minister, won 34 seats in the 101-seat national parliament last Sunday, outrunning the ruling Center, which garnered 26 seats.
Kallas said Wednesday the party had decided to enter coalition talks with the Center, but Ratas has told reporters at a press briefing that the two had too many differences, including on the tax policy.
"We will not accept their offer on these conditions," the prime minister said after almost four hours of party negotiations in parliament.
Together, the two parties would have secured a decisive majority. Kallas has ruled out a coalition with the third-placed anti-migrant Conservative People's Party, which won 19 seats. The remaining options are conservative Pro Patria with 12 seats and the Social Democratic Party with 10 seats.