First Reading of the Draft Resolution of the Riigikogu "Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic for Increasing the Birth Rate of the Estonian People" (283 OE)
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary sitting.
Date: 2024-03-13 17:17
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 71
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 1h 1m
AI Summaries: 71/71 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The Riigikogu debate focused on Draft Decision 283 of the Riigikogu, submitted by the faction of the Estonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE), which proposed that the Government of the Republic take steps to increase the birth rate of the Estonian people. The bill’s presenter, Arvo Aller (EKRE), emphasized the catastrophic state of the birth rate and criticized the government for anti-family measures, such as cutting support for large families and implementing new taxes (e.g., the car tax). Aller proposed a series of measures, including increasing family benefits and parental allowances, reducing kindergarten placement fees, and facilitating favorable home loans, stressing that the Riigikogu should provide guidance to the government.
Õnne Pillak (Reform Party), chair of the leading committee, the Social Affairs Committee, presented the committee's position, noting that low birth rates are a global trend and that the government has made several decisions supporting family policy (e.g., reforms to sickness care compensation). A sharp confrontation emerged during the debate between the coalition and the opposition regarding family policy priorities. The opposition (EKRE, Isamaa) accused the government of lacking the will to solve the birth rate crisis, while the coalition emphasized the importance of economic stability and the social environment. In the final vote, the draft decision failed to gain support and was dropped from the proceedings.
Decisions Made 2
The proposal by the faction of the Estonian Conservative People's Party to shorten the plenary session and end it at 4 PM was rejected (20 in favor, 38 against).
The draft resolution of the Riigikogu, titled "Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic for Increasing the Birth Rate of the Estonian People," Bill 283, was rejected in the final vote (23 in favor).
Most Active Speaker
The most active speaker was Õnne Pillak, the Chairman of the Social Affairs Committee and a member of the Reform Party parliamentary group. She presented the report of the lead committee and responded to numerous questions, defending the government's family policy and emphasizing that the decline in the birth rate is a broader, global problem. She represented the positions of the coalition and the lead committee, highlighting the family- and social-friendly changes implemented by the government.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Under the third item on the agenda, the first reading will take place of Draft Resolution 283 of the Riigikogu, submitted by the EKRE faction, titled “Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic on increasing the birth rate of the Estonian people.” The rapporteur for this item is Riigikogu member Arvo Aller.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
According to Arvo Aller, the Riigikogu should provide the government with a unified directive for increasing the birth rate of the Estonian people and implement a comprehensive package of measures. This package includes increasing family benefits and parental allowances, reducing kindergarten fees, linking the retirement age to the number of children, reducing income tax based on the number of children, creating favorable home loans and, where necessary, forgiving them, in order to boost the birth rate and reduce the focus on migration.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speech begins with thanks, there are questions, and Mart Helme is invited to respond.
Mart Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mart Helme stated that the primary hurdle for young families is the lack or high cost of housing. He proposed that, through state co-financing in cooperation with local municipalities, vacant houses should be purchased, converted into residences, and offered to young families on favorable terms. He made this suggestion while simultaneously referencing the 'two chairs law,' which permits Riigikogu members to also serve on local councils.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Thank you for the question. The housing problem is central to building confidence among young people. The home loan project, which was initiated during the EKRE government and further developed with the support of the Rural Development Foundation, was established. Now, through cooperation between the state and local governments, additional financing could be offered in areas of scattered settlement within a new context. Furthermore, local governments could provide assistance to young families for purchasing apartments and implement measures to attract them to the region—an approach that never previously seemed attractive but holds potential in today’s situation (for example, Nopri Farm).
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Jaak Valge to take the floor.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge asks whether the government has realized that the birth rate is catastrophically low and that this largely depends on state policy.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller criticizes the fact that despite the declining birth rate, the government's family policy lacks concrete steps, and young people and families are not given the confidence needed to remain in Estonia.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi calls upon Helle-Moonika Helme to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme accuses the government of making child- and family-hostile decisions, recalling the cancellation of family benefits and the passing of the bill that "perverts" marriage. She notes that they have made a proposal to increase the birth rate, but the government refuses to listen, and she asks why there is such defiance and what role the prime minister might play in it.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller claims that although the government's policy is based on the coalition agreement, the planned reduction in support for large families, the introduction of new taxes, and the restriction of movement—he argues—confirm a deficient long-term plan and constitute an attack on Estonian families due to the state budget deficit.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invited Varro Vooglaid to speak.
Varro Vooglaid
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Varro Vooglaid asserts that the current government coalition has taken numerous anti-family measures, and he cannot name a single family-friendly step that would boost the confidence and security of families or the birth rate in Estonia, asking the listeners if they have observed any such measures.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller thanked them for the question, said he had a crib sheet in front of him containing our proposals, noted that things had currently been done backwards, and, briefly—he couldn't recall.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Toomas Kivimägi invites Evelin Poolamets to come forward.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The speaker noted that the car tax aims to nudge people toward more environmentally friendly vehicles, and he questioned whether the government is doing the same thing to families—trying to discourage them from having more children by implementing various restrictions and eliminating benefits.
Arvo Aller
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Arvo Aller argues that raising the car tax, and taxes more broadly, will not increase the birth rate. Instead, it creates uncertainty, making young people unwilling to contribute to the Estonian state if their payments increase and benefits decrease.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Thank you very much! The questioning has concluded, and Õnne Pillak, the Chair of the Riigikogu rostrum, will now present the positions and decisions of the leading committee.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak stated that the Social Affairs Committee had discussed the draft bill concerning support measures and funding for families with children. They reached a consensus to place the bill on the plenary agenda, schedule the final vote for March 12th, and appoint me as the lead rapporteur, while simultaneously announcing that EKRE was withdrawing all of its proposed amendments.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Toomas Kivimägi offered his thanks and announced that there were questions. He then addressed Evelin Poolamets, requesting that she take the floor.
Evelin Poolamets
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Evelin Poolamets asks Õnne Pillak whether she is concerned about the potential extinction of the Estonian people due to the declining birth rate in recent years.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The presentation emphasized the goal of increasing the birth rate and improving the well-being of young Estonians. To achieve this, it proposed bringing more support to families, specifically: modifying the payment of sickness benefits to reflect actual income, extending periods for care and sick leave, expanding the employer’s voluntary sickness allowance to cover pregnant women, and providing greater treatment funding and better rehabilitation services for children with special needs and rare diseases. This comprehensive approach is necessary because life is multifaceted, and not all problems can be solved with a single subsidy.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
This is a brief request to invite Helle-Moonika Helme to speak.
Helle-Moonika Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Helle-Moonika Helme emphasizes that the needs of families require services, and the prices of childcare services are rising and fees in local governments are high, but nothing was done, and they do not support the opposing side's bills.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He noted that the kindergarten place fee has been a topic of debate, but there are also examples where it has already been abolished, such as in Kanepi municipality and Jõelähtme, and such decisions are made according to the capabilities of local governments.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Vice-Chairman thanked [the previous speaker] and invited Jaak Valge to speak.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge raised the point while speaking about global birth trends, noting that the current average total fertility rate worldwide is about 2.3, and asked whether you know Estonia's total fertility rate for 2022 and what the forecast is for 2023.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak emphasizes that she does not make forecasts and the relevant agencies will provide the figures, but she points to the global decline in birth rates—citing Latvia, Italy, Finland, and Japan as examples—and notes that the data may vary across different sources.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The Vice-Chairman thanks the audience and invites Mait Klaassen to speak.
Mait Klaassen
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He/she asks whether sufficient social research exists for the new support measures and benefits, and what we should do, because children are born out of love.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak expresses approval and optimism, saying, "That's really great, isn't it!"
Mait Klaassen
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Mait Klaassen asks whether a social study has been conducted on why people aren't having children, adding that he has three children and nine grandchildren and can proudly walk around the hall.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak stresses that an analysis must always be conducted before any decisions are made. She notes that the Ministry of Social Affairs is preparing a comprehensive overview by August of measures aimed at families with children, so they can be reviewed and amended if necessary. Regarding the issue of the low birth rate, she emphasizes the need to give young people encouragement and a sense of security, pointing out that the primary reason is the lack of a suitable partner. However, she adds that the state cannot force a partner on anyone, and women do have the option of having children through donation or artificial insemination.
Martin Helme
Profiling Eesti Konservatiivse Rahvaerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Martin Helme claims the commission is merely feigning concern and refusing to take concrete steps. He calls for serious action, stating that the extinction of the nation is a real threat and that simply reducing subsidies won't solve it.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Vice-Speaker Toomas Kivimägi called upon Martin Helme to speak.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The Social Affairs Committee has a good and honest working atmosphere; disagreements are part of the job, and my colleagues and I are concerned about increasing the Estonian birth rate.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The speaker thanks everyone and invites Signe Kivi to take the floor.
Signe Kivi
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Signe Kivi affirms her concern regarding the declining birth rate, recalls a women's demonstration that took place nearly 30 years ago, and asks how Estonia could create a child-friendly environment and distinguish itself from other countries.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak stresses that supporting families with children must go beyond mere financial benefits. What is truly essential is our attitude, improving the living environment, and providing assistance in daily situations when necessary, so that our streets are safe and child-friendly.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invites Kert Kingo to take the floor.
Kert Kingo
AI Summary
Kert Kingo asked how the government aligns its words with its actions, and what specific decisions have been adopted to address the declining birth rate.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The decisions made over the past year take into account the unique nature and needs of families, and the analysis of the ministry's measures for families with children shows a genuine commitment to doing the best possible job.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Toomas Kivimägi invites Riina Solman to take the floor.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman criticizes the attitude of the coalition, the Minister of Social Protection, and the Social Affairs Committee towards large families, recalling the 200-euro benefit that was introduced in the spring and later revoked, as well as the car tax discussion, to which representatives of large families were not invited. She asks whether such a tax hike and treatment encourages people to have children or achieves quite the opposite effect.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak stated that during the discussion held in the spring or early summer, there was a delay in collecting signatures for the collective appeal, and the inclusion of families with children was insufficient; therefore, the Social Affairs Committee proposed involving organizations related to children in a broader sense to ensure more diverse representation. Although the speed of these changes creates uncertainty, we must understand the reasons behind the decisions and strive diligently to ensure that war does not happen.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi announced that the Estonian Conservative People's Party faction submitted a motion to shorten and adjourn today's plenary session at 4 PM, and that the matter will be put to a vote.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
The proposal failed to gain support, as 20 Riigikogu members voted in favor, 38 were against, and there were 0 abstentions. We will now continue the debate between the rapporteur of the lead committee and the members of the Riigikogu, and Mart Maastik will take the floor next.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Mart Maastik asks the audience for quiet because the noise prevents him from speaking, and he hopes he will be allowed to begin.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
He apologizes for the delay, gives more time, and asks Mart Maastik to step up to the microphone.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Maastik thanks the presiding officer and the esteemed Õnne Pihlak, and mentions that Pihlak has made a certain claim here.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
This call is merely the name "Pillak" repeated twice, without any other words.
Mart Maastik
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
He suggests that if there is no war, yet the population is dying out and the birth rate is catastrophic, and we fail to take any action, this does not constitute a war against one's own people.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
I believe that war is, fundamentally, military aggression, and the resulting damages are much worse. Furthermore, the 2022 fertility rate of 1.4 is mentioned, and it is stressed that it is not always crucial to have everything memorized; rather, you need to know where to find that information.
Aseesimees Toomas Kivimägi
AI Summary
Toomas Kivimägi thanked the rapporteur, announced that there were no questions, opened the debate, and invited Jaak Valge on behalf of the EKRE faction.
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge highlights that the primary cause of Estonia's low birth rate is the rising cost of living and the impact of parental benefits. This is substantiated by research from demographers and OECD comparisons, and it leads young people to postpone having children because of the lack of economic stability.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Vice-Chairman Jüri Ratas made a brief request and merely said, "Please."
Jaak Valge
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Jaak Valge stressed that families want more children than they currently have, and that if the growth of the birth rate is not supported, the future of our country will be jeopardized. Therefore, he requests that the bill be approved and the measures recommended by demographers be implemented.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas offers his thanks and raises a procedural question.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak said that she might have the wrong idea, and she simply wanted to respond because she had been mentioned here.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Chairman Jüri Ratas asks the audience if they wish to present a rebuttal.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak briefly expresses affirmation by saying, "Yes, exactly."
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas is instructing the listeners to press the "Word" button.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
Õnne Pillak simply said that everything was clear.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Deputy Speaker Jüri Ratas calls upon Õnne Pillak.
Õnne Pillak
Profiling Eesti Reformierakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
He points out that the chairman of the Social Affairs Committee is aware of the 1.4 fertility rate, and he confirmed this figure in his answer to the last question as well.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The Deputy Speaker offered thanks and invited Riina Solman, the representative of the Isamaa Party faction, to the podium.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman emphasizes the factual basis of the demographic crisis and the necessity of increasing support for families (such as additional benefits for the third child). She refers to data from Statistics Estonia and criticizes the government’s decisions, while simultaneously questioning how the future workforce can be secured and whether controlled migration is the answer, requesting additional measures and time for debate.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
He asks for three minutes.
Riina Solman
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
Riina Solman emphasizes that, according to Article 28 of the Constitution, the state must take special care of people with disabilities and families with many children. She notes the importance of large families and the risk of poverty they face, as well as the need to increase child benefits. She calls for supporting the bill and promoting natality, stating that controlled migration is not an acceptable solution when our birth rate is low.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
Jüri Ratas announced that there are no further requests to speak, thereby closing the debate, and since no amendments have been received regarding Bill 283, he will now proceed with the final vote and asks his colleagues to vote.
Aseesimees Jüri Ratas
AI Summary
The Riigikogu rejected the bill submitted by the EKRE faction aimed at increasing the birth rate of the Estonian people. The vote resulted in 23 in favor, with no votes against or abstentions recorded. The consideration of the third item on the agenda is concluded.