The support for the Reform Party is very low. Only five percent of people want Kristen Michal as prime minister. Today's Eesti Ekspress writes about Michal's tough year and asks if the party will sink even deeper.
Andrus Ansip said that if government support falls below 33 percent, it is a security risk. The support for the Reform Party was 19 percent in June, but in August it dropped to 11 percent. This shows that people do not trust the government.
Ansip does not believe that Kristen Michal caused the decline. He says the problems started earlier. When Taavi Rõivas left the position of prime minister, he handed over a country with good finances to Jüri Ratas. But in good times, reserves were not accumulated; instead, they were spent. Kaja Kallas spoke of a balanced budget, but she handed Michal a budget with a large deficit.
Ansip thinks that Michal has managed to stabilize the economy. But the support for the Reform Party already declined during Kaja Kallas's time. Ansip blames the Reform Party for the Tallinn crisis. He says the central office should not interfere in the affairs of local governments.
Ansip compared the situation in Tallinn to family relationships. He says the stronger side should not publicly criticize the weaker one. Recently, we saw how Ossinovski criticized his coalition partner. A leader cannot be just an observer.
Ansip also talks about finances. He says the state needs to invest more in national defense. He also discusses tax hikes and cuts. He says money is like mud – there’s enough for everything, but the priorities are wrong.
Ansip advises that Michal should talk more with people. He says people understand when it’s explained to them why the decisions are necessary. He recalls that the 2009 cuts were followed by tough times, but in 2011, the Reform Party won the elections.
Ansip concludes that low support is nothing special. He points out that Isamaa's support was only 4.8 percent in 2022. There’s no need to worry about the future because times change, and so do people's opinions.