Session Profile: Mart Helme
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session
2024-09-09
Political Position
Politically, the speaker positions himself as a staunch opponent of the current climate and environmental policy, viewing it as ineffective and detrimental to the economy (citing damage caused by birds and the peat industry). He vigorously defends private property and criticizes state interference in citizens' lives, comparing it to practices from the Brezhnev era. The focus is on a value-based opposition to bureaucratic governance and the incompetence of the minister.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates knowledge in the fields of agriculture (bird damage near Matsalu Bay, 2,000 hectares of cultivated land), forestry (costs and documentation for private forest owners), and the peat industry (the Tootsi complex). He also references examples from Estonian economic history, notably highlighting the privatization of the Ookean production association. This expertise is expressed through the identification of specific regional and sectoral problems.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The speaker’s style is very combative, emotional, and blunt, employing strong, even harsh language (e.g., "idiots," "bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo"). He uses irony and sarcasm (wind turbines for chopping up birds) and historical parallels (the Brezhnev era, the privatization of the Ocean) in his critique of state intervention. Personal experience is emphasized (traffic, living in Läänemaa), and he demands a substantive discussion from the minister instead of a dry presentation.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker actively participated in the plenary session during the inquiry period, posing several consecutive questions and making remarks. He/She referenced his/her daily commute (forty-five minutes to work) and mentioned a visit to the Tootsi industrial complex.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The main opponent is the Minister and the Ministry of Climate, who are criticized for incompetence, reading talking points drafted by bureaucrats, and policies that restrict private property. The criticism is intense, accusing the government of creating a bureaucratic state and displaying an arrogant attitude toward the collective wisdom of the people. Compromise is ruled out, with demands for the closure of the Ministry of Climate.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
There is insufficient data.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The speaker has a clear regional focus, emphasizing agricultural issues in Läänemaa (Matsalu Bay) and land use in the Martna municipality. They also highlighted the dire situation of the Tootsi industrial complex and its settlement, where life is essentially dying out. Furthermore, the traffic management in the city of Tallinn came under criticism.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
He strongly supports the free market and the inviolability of private property, opposing state intervention that harms the forestry and peat industries. He emphasizes the necessity of producing added value and criticizes policies that lead to economic decline, import dependency, and the squandering of resources (the Tootsi colossal project). It is also criticized that the state is a poor steward.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
It focuses on civil liberties and the right of citizens to determine their own lives, criticizing state intervention as a violation of the principles of a free state. It expresses concern over struggling communities and the resulting exodus of residents, which is attributed to restrictions placed on economic activity.
4 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus is on challenging government policies and regulations concerning forestry, the peat industry, and agriculture (specifically regarding damage caused by birds). The speaker participates by submitting parliamentary inquiries to criticize and demand policy changes, serving as a strong representative of the opposition.
4 Speeches Analyzed