Session Profile: Andre Hanimägi
Fifteenth Riigikogu, fifth session, plenary session
2025-06-03
Political Position
The core political position is one of strong criticism regarding the housing affordability crisis, which stems from systemic failures and an over-reliance on market forces. The speaker demands a fundamental shift, requiring the state to take an active leadership role and establish a national housing strategy by intervening in market activities to guarantee housing as a fundamental right. The crisis is framed as a shared issue affecting demographic policy, regional policy, and social policy.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates profound expertise in housing policy and the real estate market, utilizing Eurostat statistics (a 230% price increase, a 12.7% share of overburdened households) and referencing researchers’ recommendations. They are familiar with detailed solutions, such as non-profit housing models, tax deterrents for vacant plots, and the example of the Latvian state real estate company. The question of utilizing state-owned land (RKAS, MaRu) is mentioned separately.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is urgent and critical, emphasizing the seriousness of the problem and its impact on the future of young people. The speaker uses logical arguments, backed by extensive statistics, but also includes an emotional appeal: that housing should not be an unattainable luxury, but a fundamental right. He addresses both the minister and the young people listening from the balcony directly, while maintaining a formal and analytical tone.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The scope of action is limited to a single plenary session, during which the speaker actively participates in the housing policy debate, posing a question to the minister and delivering an extended address. The speaker requested two minutes of additional time at the conclusion of their presentation, indicating a desire to address the subject matter comprehensively.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The opposition is aimed at policies that rely on market forces and systemic government failures that have deepened the crisis. Specific criticism targets the current government's decision to raise VAT, which adds thousands of euros to housing prices. The state's ongoing practice of selling land for quick profit is also being criticized.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The style of cooperation is pragmatic, as the speaker praises the previous government and minister for the reconstruction program of smaller apartment buildings. This demonstrates a willingness to acknowledge good policies regardless of who initiated them.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The regional focus is national, concentrating primarily on real estate prices in Tallinn and Tartu, where the situation is most acute. Simultaneously, the regional policy dimension is emphasized, citing the critical importance of the support measure for smaller apartment buildings in Southeast Estonia as a positive example.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The economic views are interventionist and socially focused, emphasizing the necessity of regulating the housing market and utilizing state assets (land) for socio-political objectives, rather than for quick profit generation. The speaker supports tax disincentives for owners of vacant development plots and opposes an increase in VAT, which drives up housing costs.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The housing crisis is directly addressed as a social problem that impacts the birth rate, family formation, and social segregation. It is emphasized that the inaccessibility of housing leads to the deepening of spatial and social segregation, dividing the city into areas for the very wealthy and the very poor.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus centers on establishing a national housing strategy and streamlining the processing of detailed plans by reducing bureaucratic hurdles. A key priority involves utilizing state-owned land more effectively for housing construction and regulating the share of affordably priced homes within new developments.
3 Speeches Analyzed