Agenda Profile: Helle-Moonika Helme
First Reading of the Draft Act Amending the Law Enforcement Act (163 SE)
2024-03-06
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
Political Position
The political position is strongly value-based and focuses on protecting the Estonian cultural space from immigration, especially the introduction of Islamic culture. The speaker opposes the policies of the government (the Reform Party) and the liberals/socialists, accusing them of hypocrisy on the issues of violence against women and discrimination. The core argument is that immigration is the root cause that must be addressed to prevent cultural conflicts and security problems.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates knowledge regarding Islamic culture and the role of women (niqab, burqa, domestic violence) and connects this to immigration policy. He/She references public warnings issued by security agencies concerning the growth of the Muslim community but fails to provide specific data or statistics. The knowledge presented is aimed more at cultural criticism and establishing political linkages.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is highly combative, accusatory, and emotional, employing sharp phrases such as "hypocrisy cubed." Strong contrasts are utilized (liberals vs. reality, the Estonian man vs. the Islamic man) along with rhetorical questions designed to underscore the moral failure of opponents. The tone is critical and direct, focusing on exposing the motives and policies of the opposing side.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The pattern of activity is confined to debates in the Riigikogu chamber, where both procedural remarks are addressed to the presiding officer and substantive questions are posed to the bill's rapporteur. The speaker is active during the first reading of the draft Act amending the Law Enforcement Act.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The main opponents are the Liberals, the Social Democrats, and the Reform Party, who are sharply criticized for their hypocrisy and immigration policy. The criticism is intense, values-driven, and addresses both political positions and procedural issues regarding adherence to the chair's rules of procedure. The speaker calls into question the sincerity of the opposing side in the fight against violence against women.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
Insufficient data.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is on the national level (the Estonian cultural sphere) and international issues (immigration, the Muslim community). Specific local or regional problems are not mentioned.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
There are no economic standpoints; the wage gap is mentioned only as a rhetorical device to demonstrate the opponents' hypocrisy when dealing with social issues.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
Regarding social issues, the primary focus is anti-immigration sentiment and protecting the Estonian cultural space from the introduction of Islamic culture. The speaker highlights the problems of violence and discrimination against women (specifically mentioning the burqa, niqab, and domestic violence), accusing immigration of worsening these issues. He/She stresses the necessity of safeguarding the values inherent in the Estonian cultural space.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus is on the first reading of the draft Act amending the Law Enforcement Act (163 SE), arguments against which are being used to raise the issue of immigration and cultural conflicts. The speaker is critical of the bill, drawing attention to the root causes (immigration) and asking whether this topic was discussed in the committee.
4 Speeches Analyzed