Draft law amending the Family Benefits Act (659 SE) - first reading
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary sitting.
Date: 2025-09-17 20:52
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 89
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 9m
AI Summaries: 89/89 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debated the first reading of Draft Act 659 on amendments to the Family Benefits Act, initiated by the parliamentary group of the Social Democratic Party and several members of the Riigikogu. The objective of the draft act was to raise the benefit for the first and second child, as well as the single parent child benefit, to 100 euros per month, in order to equalize these benefits with the benefits provided for the third and subsequent children. Presenter Reili Rand (SDE) emphasized that this was a values-based step that sends a message of the equal valuing of every child and helps alleviate economic insecurity against the backdrop of a deepening demographic crisis.
During the debate, the question of the draft act's funding arose. Although an estimated 10–11 million euros remain unused in the family benefits budget due to low birth rates, the annual cost of the draft act amounts to approximately 57.3 million euros. Riina Solman (Isamaa), Deputy Chair of the lead committee (the Social Affairs Committee), supported the principles of the draft act but acknowledged the lack of coverage sources. Signe Riisalo, representative of the Reform Party parliamentary group, found that the draft act was the most costly of the alternatives proposed and called for waiting for the Ministry of Social Affairs’ comprehensive action plan (due by spring 2026), which would address all aspects of the demographic crisis (housing, work-life balance, etc.). The opposition called on the coalition to support the draft act as an important positive signal to families. In the vote, the draft act was rejected upon the proposal of the lead committee.
Decisions Made 1
The Riigikogu voted in favor of the lead committee's (the Social Affairs Committee's) proposal to reject Bill 659 during the first reading (43 in favor, 19 against). The bill was consequently dropped from the legislative process.
Most Active Speaker
Reili Rand (SDE, left-wing) was very active in her role as rapporteur, answering questions and participating in the response debate, emphasizing the bill's value-based message and the need to support all Estonian families.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar opened today’s fifth agenda item: the first reading of Bill 659, the amendment to the Family Benefits Act, initiated by the Social Democratic Party faction and several members of the Riigikogu. He then called Reili Rand to present the report and briefly acknowledged the Minister for monitoring the discussion.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
The fifth item on the agenda is the first reading of Draft Act 659, the Act amending the Family Benefits Act, initiated by the faction of the Social Democratic Party and Riigikogu members Jaak Aab, Ester Karuse, Tanel Kiik, Andre Hanimäe, and Züleyxa Izmailova, which will be presented by Riigikogu member Reili Ranna as the rapporteur.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand emphasized Estonia's deepening demographic crisis, driven primarily by economic uncertainty and the high costs of raising children, and called for support for the Social Democrats' draft bill, which provides for raising the benefit for the first and second child, as well as the single-parent child benefit, to 100 euros. This measure aims to send a clear message about the equal value of every child, alleviate the financial situation of the most vulnerable families, and simplify the administration of these benefits.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand submitted a draft bill aimed at standardizing and increasing family benefits (raising the support for the first and second child, along with the single parent's child benefit, to 100 euros per month). The stated purpose is to reduce inequality, simplify administrative processes, and show that the state equally values every child.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller announces that you have at least one question, and asks Peeter Ernits to pose it.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits believes that while the proposal is excellent, its impact would be questionable due to the government's low credibility. He suggests the Riigikogu should instead start tackling smaller tasks, because we have serious problems when it comes to the big issues.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits considers the proposal excellent, but he doubts it will ever be implemented because it won't yield immediate results in the eyes of those in power, and the money would essentially vanish into a bottomless pit. For this reason, he predicts the bill's failure and advises the Riigikogu (Parliament) to focus instead on small, feasible "quick fixes," since larger projects tend to create serious problems, especially given the government's low credibility.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand expressed satisfaction that the current bill is under discussion in Parliament precisely while the state budget is being drafted. This timing compels the governing coalition to seriously consider identifying additional revenue streams to support children and families, even though the government’s actual intentions remain ambiguous.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand expresses her pleasure that the bill is being discussed at the same time the governing parties are compiling the state budget, because they have the opportunity to seriously consider which additional sources of funding could be utilized for the benefit of children and families.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller calls upon Riina Solman to speak.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman thanked the Vice-Chairman of the Riigikogu and the rapporteur, noting that they had discussed the draft bill in the Social Affairs Committee, knowing Isamaa's support, and recalling the lack of information regarding the sources of funding. She then referenced an analysis of child-rearing and having children, which showed that 10–11 million would remain available next year, despite the measure costing 50–56 million annually, and asked how they could jointly identify the necessary funding sources.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman confirms Isamaa's support for the bill currently under discussion, noting that they themselves initiated a similar measure in 2022. However, she stresses that while the latest analysis indicates a surplus of 10–11 million euros, the issue of securing the missing funding sources for the measure—which costs 50–56 million euros annually—must be resolved collaboratively.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand stated that the state budget process will be opened soon, allowing the issue to be thoroughly debated again. However, the bill will not proceed to a vote today, and during the upcoming state budget proceedings, efforts will be made to address the problem using more specific sources of funding.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand calls upon the coalition to change its decision, given that the Social Affairs Committee's understanding is that the draft legislation is unlikely to move forward. She also expresses hope that the issue will be resolved more concretely, with detailed funding sources, during the state budget process.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller calls upon Tanel Kiik.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik encourages his colleague to be optimistic about the standardization of child benefits and asks if he believes that this proposal will be implemented sooner or later.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik voices his support for the Social Democrats' draft legislation aimed at unifying family benefits to 100 euros. He notes that the proposal enjoys widespread understanding and backing, and encourages Riigikogu members to remain optimistic, proceed with the bill, and seek necessary funding sources. He concludes by questioning whether this crucial step in family policy will actually be carried out.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand is calling today for the approval of the draft legislation, stating that in order to simplify life for families, the VAT on foodstuffs needs to be lowered, and the surplus money should be directed towards healthcare. She also asks for approximately 50 million to be found to improve the well-being of Estonian children and families.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand, representing the Social Democrats, criticizes the government’s decision to abandon the income tax increase, arguing that it provides only marginal benefit to families with children. She urgently demands that, in order to improve family livelihoods, the VAT on foodstuffs be lowered and the resulting freed-up funds be directed to healthcare to shorten treatment queues. She concludes by calling on everyone to support the bill in question.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman pointed out that the decline in the number of births means that not only 10–11 million will be left over in the next budget year, but it will also more broadly affect the education sector and the social sphere, and the actual sum is larger. She then asked what should be done collectively and where this surplus money will go if the Minister of Social Affairs does not plan to allocate it for the benefit of children and families.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller asks Riina Solman to speak.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman highlighted the fact that, owing to low birth rates, a significant sum of money will remain as a surplus in the social and education sectors of next year's budget—money which the Minister of Social Affairs has refused to allocate toward supporting children and families. She then asked the Riigikogu where this surplus funding would be directed and what measures would be taken to rectify the situation.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand called upon the political parties to jointly approve the draft bill during its first reading and to find sources of funding during next week's budget discussions, in order to direct resources toward the benefit of children and families, emphasizing that every child is important and Estonia will endure.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand stressed that while the ruling parties' opposition to the support measures aimed at families with children is baffling, the draft legislation must be jointly allowed through the first reading. This will enable the parliament to then find suitable funding sources on a cross-party basis, prioritizing the nation's continuity, because every Estonian child and family deserves it.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas stated that increasing the child allowance is necessary, and it will help not only families with one or two children but also large families, since the amount is growing.
Anti Allas
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Anti Allas expressed strong support for the presented draft legislation aimed at increasing child benefits, emphasizing that this measure addresses the needs of families he had heard from in his home region. Furthermore, he asked the rapporteur to confirm that the increase in support would affect and assist both small and large families equally.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller makes a request to Anti Allas.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He confirms that this increase also affects large families, and all Estonian families with at least one child will benefit from this specific bill.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand confirmed that the approval of the draft bill will benefit all Estonian families with at least one child, emphasizing that this increase also applies to large families.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the question period, thanked the previous speaker, and then gave the floor to Riina Solman, the Vice-Chair of the Social Affairs Committee, who was tasked with summarizing the discussion that had taken place in the lead committee.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller concludes the questions and announces that next, Riina Solman, Deputy Chairman of the Social Affairs Committee, will present the summary of the leading committee's debate.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The Riigikogu Social Affairs Committee discussed the draft bill submitted by Reili Rand concerning the increase of parental benefits. The Committee found that resources are currently insufficient for immediate implementation, and consequently, the bill did not receive coalition support. Furthermore, the Committee emphasized that a package of measures supporting child-rearing and childbirth will be finalized within the coalition and is expected to be approved in the spring of 2026, focusing on the equality of children and achieving cross-party consensus.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman provided an overview of the Social Affairs Committee's discussion on the bill, which aims to raise the child allowance for the first and second child to 100 euros and increase the single parent allowance. She noted that although the Ministry of Social Affairs did not support the bill, citing the need for a comprehensive package of family policy measures, the committee decided to submit the bill to the Riigikogu, while simultaneously stressing the necessity of cross-party consensus in addressing the issue of low birth rates.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller offered his thanks, invited questions, requested that no one leave, and addressed Irja Lutsar.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Irja Lutsar asks Riina whether the personalized support system was discussed in the commission, emphasizing that an individual approach should be applied when distributing the support, since some children clearly require more than the current 100 euros, while others might not even need the proposed 20-euro increase. She further stresses that this process should occur without having to dig through databases.
Irja Lutsar
Profiling Eesti 200 fraktsioonAI Summary
Irja Lutsar stresses that personalized support was not discussed by the commission. She points out that while some children in Estonia require more than 100 euros per month, others may not even need the 20-euro increase. She therefore recommends a personalized approach that avoids snooping through databases, questioning at the same time whether the topic was even debated.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the concept of the personalized state, citing the crudeness of its implementation and the fear of excessive public disclosure of people's data. She emphasizes that a needs-based approach to family benefits should be directed primarily at large families and single parents, for whom the need for support is evident, contrasting this with earlier cuts to family benefits.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman emphasized that although there are various opinions regarding the personalized state and the needs-based approach, and while the plans are well-intentioned, they are still very much in the early stages, and data protection raises concerns. Furthermore, when implementing the needs-based approach, the focus should be on large families and single-parent families, because, for instance, support provided to a family raising 10 children directly impacts their financial situation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller asks Peeter Ernits to speak.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits expresses joy over Mihkel Lees's withdrawal and asks whether the bill will be killed this time.
Peeter Ernits
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Peeter Ernits welcomed the new rapporteur, expressing his pleasure that a colleague had stepped down, but his primary concern was confirming whether the bill in question would be decided this time to be removed from the procedure—or, as they say, "killed."
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman emphasizes the urgent need to give Estonian families a positive and stable political signal, calling on the Reform Party to support the current bill, not kill it, and immediately direct the 10–11 million euro surplus generated by low birth rates towards family benefits. This is crucial to avoid the repetition of earlier hostile signals and broken promises that resulted from the reduction of family benefits—actions which, according to population scientists, ignored the stability needs of families.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman urged Reform Party members not to kill the bill, but rather to give it life, stressing that providing surplus funds and stable signals to families is critically important, and that a comprehensive package must be introduced by spring to mitigate the impact of previous negative signals.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller thanks the speaker and announces that Signe Riisalo will not be posing any further questions, but that she does have a question for the presiding officer.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller concluded the questioning of the individual concerned and then gave the floor to Signe Riisalo, who wished to address the presiding officer of the sitting.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Riisalo drew attention to the fact that the committee rapporteur should limit their role solely to describing the committee's discussion and should refrain from presenting partisan political positions, for which they have the opportunity to take separate speaking time, and requested the presiding officer to issue a reminder regarding this matter.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo announced that the questioning period had concluded. He then requested the presiding officer to remind the rapporteur of their right to present their political party's views, while stressing that the designated role should primarily focus on describing the committee's deliberations.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Chair of the session announces that the presentations have been completed, and we will immediately proceed with the discussions. The personal views of the committee members have been stated, and no questions will be asked of Riina Solman.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller, who was chairing the session, concluded the round of presentations, noting that although committee members had expressed personal opinions, they should also have addressed the role of the committee itself. He subsequently refused to give the floor to Riina Solman, stating that the time allocated for questions had expired and the session was immediately moving into the debate phase, despite Solman’s desire to ask the chairman a question.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman explained why she wished to serve as the representative for the Steering Committee, stating that the representative of the ruling party should not approach the podium with their political views, and that they must wait until spring, and nothing should be undertaken before that time.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman responded to criticism about her performance, stressing that her objective, as a representative of the steering committee, was to prevent the leading party's representative from using the podium to spread political views—specifically, the view advocating for waiting until spring.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller announced that the internal committee discussion is not a debate solely between the chairman and the members, and he directed the proceedings toward the negotiations, stating that this time the floor would be given to the representatives of the factions, starting with the address by Tanel Kiik on behalf of the Social Democratic Party.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller established the procedural order, outlining the scope of the internal committee discussion, requested the withdrawal of one statement, and subsequently gave the floor to Tanel Kiik, the representative of the Social Democratic Party faction, to commence the debate.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik is calling for support to standardize child benefits at 100 euros, stressing that all children are of equal worth and that this move sends a clear message regarding the resolution of the demographic crisis.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik stresses the necessity of standardizing family benefits in order to raise the allowance for the first and second child to 100 euros, thereby valuing every child equally and sending a clear signal of the state's commitment to solving the demographic crisis. He calls on the Riigikogu to support this opposition bill as a crucial first step, which is fair and justified given the backdrop of the rising cost of living.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Deputy Chairman thanks [the previous speaker] and, on behalf of the Isamaa faction, invites Riina Solman to speak.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman called on the Reform Party to keep the draft law alive, emphasizing the need for a cross-party agreement on supporting families and children so that population policy would be long-term and independent of whichever party is currently in power.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman expresses deep pessimism regarding the fate of the family benefits bill, criticizing the Reform Party as the main obstacle to both shaping a consensus population policy and increasing family support. She specifically references Social Minister Karmen Joller’s refusal to implement measures in the 2026 budget, and calls upon the ruling party to keep the bill alive in order to restore families’ trust and send a political signal about valuing children.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller asks for three extra minutes.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman expressed skepticism regarding the Reform Party's recent change of heart on population policy, emphasizing that the need to support families—now recognized as evidence-based—was already known five years ago, when she herself, as Minister of Population, initiated corresponding measures. She accused the governing party of double standards, noting that they had previously denied the very same scientific data. Solman demanded that the Reform Party prove its sincerity through action by supporting the bill put forward by the Social Democrats, thereby ending the five years of lost time and sending a positive signal to families.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman emphasized the sudden shift in the Reform Party's demographic policy and recalled the scientific conclusions drawn up in 2019 regarding the necessity of supporting families, calling for the bill to proceed to the second reading in order to send positive signals to families.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller thanks [the body] and, on behalf of the faction, requests the floor for Vadim Belobrovtsev.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev emphasized that Estonia is facing a demographic crisis, characterized by a record-low birth rate and a death toll that isn't dropping, and that the state must offer families greater and more sustainable financial support—support which the Centre Party's draft legislation, such as the proposal for 150 euros per child, has put forward, but which the coalition has previously rejected.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev draws attention to Estonia's deepening demographic crisis—where the birth rate is at a record low and mortality remains high—and stresses that effective financial assistance is needed to restore families' confidence and stimulate births. Simultaneously, he criticizes the hypocrisy of the coalition, which has repeatedly rejected the Center Party's proposals to raise child benefits to €140–150, thereby deeming the current increase to €100 clearly insufficient against the backdrop of 40% inflation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller asks for three more minutes.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev, speaking for the Centre Party, supports the increase in family benefits, viewing it (even if the amount is initially small) as an important indicator of the government’s awareness of the demographic crisis. He stresses that financial support must be permanent and part of a wider package of measures designed to instill confidence in families and create a supportive environment, rather than being the only solution.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Belobrovtsev states that the implementation of the 100-euro child benefit alone will not solve the demographic crisis, but combined with other measures—such as at least 150 euros per month per child, permanent support for larger families, and the organization of Children's Day events—it may help. He notes that the Centre Party and other factions are ready to support the draft legislation.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller chaired the sitting, explaining the order of the speaking round and addressing the possibility of a response by Reili Rand, before subsequently inviting Signe Riisalo, representative of the Reform Party faction, to the podium.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller offers Reili Rand the choice of delivering a counter-speech or simply listening, and subsequently invites Signe Riisalo to the rostrum on behalf of the Reform Party faction.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Riisalo emphasizes that while supporting every child is a value-based and commendable goal, the bill currently under discussion is the most expensive of the solutions proposed by researchers, consuming many times more money than the remaining sum from family benefits, and simultaneously ignoring other significant concerns for families, such as housing availability and balancing work and family life. Therefore, to reduce poverty, limited resources should be targeted at the most vulnerable groups (e.g., single parents and families with disabilities), and they should wait for the comprehensive action plan promised by the Minister of Social Affairs, which will address the seven main concerns facing all families.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
According to Riisalo, the proposed bill is the most costly and fails to adequately address the concerns of families with other children; resources must be directed toward vulnerable groups—single parents, large families, and families with disabilities—to reduce poverty, and a comprehensive action plan must be drawn up by the spring of 2026 to address all seven concerns, a plan which the opposition has also supported, while simultaneously emphasizing that every child is valuable and support must be equally accessible.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller asks for three extra minutes.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Riisalo emphasizes that families are diverse and require an individualized approach. She calls on her colleagues to make prudent choices, considering more affordable and sustainable alternatives—such as indexing benefits to the cost of living or compensating for the costs of raising a child—instead of the costly, one-time benefit increase proposed in the draft bill, in order to reach a lasting societal consensus on supporting families with children.
Signe Riisalo
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Riisalo emphasizes that families are diverse, and every family has seven distinct concerns. Therefore, all alternatives must be considered, including indexation and compensation for child maintenance costs, and smart spending must be implemented to find a common agreement on increasing the number of children and ensuring the security of families.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller expressed his thanks and, speaking on behalf of the faction, requested that Reili Rand be given the floor for a response statement, as the Social Democrats had been mentioned.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Citing the Social Democrats' historical contribution to child benefits, Reili Rand criticizes the Centre Party for the hypocrisy displayed during the election campaign concerning the elimination of kindergarten fees. She further points out that the alternative measures proposed, such as a car tax concession, do not benefit all children, and calls for wise and universal decisions to be made for the good of all Estonian children.
Reili Rand
Profiling Sotsiaaldemokraatliku Erakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Reili Rand emphasized her support for the universal child benefit, noting the child discount from the car tax as an alternative, and calling for smart decisions to be made for the benefit of all Estonian children.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Arvo Aller pointed out that the Centre Party had not been mentioned from the podium, and asked Vadim Belobrovtsev to deliver a rebuttal, while simultaneously inquiring whether anyone in the speech had addressed the Centre Party's views.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Arvo Aller observed that the Centre Party was not addressed even once in the previous speech, and he asked the listeners if the party's viewpoints were still recognizable. He then gave the floor to Vadim Belobrovtsev for a reply, emphasizing that no further reply to the reply would be permitted.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev accuses the coalition of letting proposals fail and of steamrolling them. He reminds listeners that the Centre Party had proposed making the participation fee free for all children attending Tallinn kindergartens, a measure the coalition rejected due to a questionable source of funding, and he promises to realize this goal in Tallinn in the future.
Vadim Belobrovtsev
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Vadim Belobrovtsev accuses the Reform Party of merely feigning dialogue, citing the fact that the coalition has consistently "steamrolled" the opposition's proposals by voting them down. He further explains that although the Centre Party supports the idea of free kindergarten places, they were unable to back the latest proposal due to a dubious funding source, which would have required tenants of municipal apartments to pay double rent, while promising, however, to resolve this issue in Tallinn in the future.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Deputy Chairman, Arvo Aller, offered his thanks, closed the debate, and announced that there was a procedural question for the presiding officer before the vote, whereupon he addressed Tanel Kiik.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Arvo Aller closed the discussions, but asked that a procedural matter be resolved before proceeding to the vote, giving the floor to Tanel Kiik for that purpose.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik raises a point of order, asking whether it is permissible in the Riigikogu to give replies to replies, since no one mentioned his faction's positions.
Tanel Kiik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Tanel Kiik requests a procedural clarification from the Deputy Speaker of the Riigikogu regarding whether a new right of reply is permitted following an existing right of reply. He emphasizes that standard practice allows a right of reply only if a specific political party or individual has been mentioned during the preceding deliberations, which, in his assessment, was not done concerning the Centre Party in the current debate. He therefore asks for the rules of procedure to be clarified for the benefit of the entire chamber.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller explained the procedure for giving reply statements, after which he announced the closure of the debates and put the lead committee's proposal to reject Bill 659 at the first reading to a vote before the members of the Riigikogu.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The core of the discussion is the vote on the leading committee's proposal to reject Draft Bill 659 during its first reading.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
The Riigikogu adopted the motion: 43 votes in favor, 19 against, 0 abstentions; the draft bill is dropped from the proceedings.
Aseesimees Arvo Aller
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Arvo Aller announced that the Riigikogu voted in favor of the proposal (43 votes for, 19 against), which means the respective bill is dropped from the proceedings.