Session Profile: Helle-Moonika Helme
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session.
2024-11-13
Political Position
The political position is heavily focused on criticizing the state budget, stressing the necessity of funding national security and halting the expensive green transition. Strong opposition is also directed at the financing of certain social advocacy organizations. The framing is primarily performance-based, accusing the government (the Reform Party) of previously underfunding national defense and currently engaging in panic spending.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates expertise regarding the budget procedure and amendments, including the mandatory requirement to present the distribution of costs and the topic of setting limits for institutions. He is also familiar with the history of national defense funding and criticizes the economic impact of the green transition. He emphasizes the need to talk about money and the budget, not stories.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is highly combative, critical, and demanding, especially when describing opponents' policies, employing strong negative epithets (e.g., "infantile," "utterly stupid," "ridiculous"). The speaker insists on sticking to the topic ("Let's talk about money, let's not spin a yarn") and uses emotional appeals (families, mothers, security) to underscore their positions. They also make procedural demands, such as putting amendments up for a vote.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker is highly active during the plenary session, repeatedly intervening (six times in a single day) in the procedures concerning the budget debate and the voting on amendments. This pattern of activity suggests a strong focus on the legislative process and a continuous effort to challenge the government's actions.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The main opponent is the Reform Party, which is criticized both for its political substance (the green transition, social funding) and for its past governance (underfunding of national defense). The criticism is intense and ranges from issues of political substance all the way to demanding a vote of confidence regarding Jürgen Ligi's position on supporting the Reform Party. He also criticizes the Ministry of Climate and its "overpaid activists."
6 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
Demonstrates cooperation with colleagues ("The wording of Raini and Martin's proposal") when submitting amendments, highlighting the superiority of their proposal compared to that of the committee. Overall, the style is rather confrontational towards the government, focusing on bringing their own proposals to a vote and seeking opposition rather than compromise.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is entirely on national budget priorities and international relations, particularly the shift in the US stance on climate and security policy, which is being used as arguments for changing Estonian policy. There are no references to specific local or regional issues.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
Economic perspectives emphasize strict fiscal discipline and cost cutting, particularly by reducing spending on the green transition and the Ministry of Climate, in order to redirect funds towards national security. It supports making the presentation of cost distribution mandatory based on economic substance and views the current government's administration as wasteful, citing "overpaid activists."
6 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
Regarding social issues, the speaker is strongly opposed to state funding for LGBT advocacy organizations, contrasting this with the simultaneous lack of support for families and mothers (specifically, the deprivation of health insurance coverage via Haigekassa). He stresses that the national budget should not be involved in shaping public attitudes and points to the shifting stances of allies (the USA) on these topics.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus centers on the handling of the 2025 state budget and associated amendments. Priorities include mandating the presentation of expenditure distribution based on economic content, as well as setting limits for ministers and constitutional institutions. The speaker is an active initiator and proponent of amendments, seeking to overturn the committee's decisions.
6 Speeches Analyzed