Agenda Profile: Martin Helme
First reading of the Draft Decision of the Riigikogu (322 OE) "Making a Proposal to the Government of the Republic to Prepare a Comprehensive National Defence Development Vision Extending up to the Year 2045 and a New Extraordinary National Defence Development Plan Deriving from It, Extending up to the Year 2034"
2024-03-13
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary sitting.
Political Position
The central theme is the inefficiency of national defense development and the government's inability to make crucial decisions. The stance is strongly critical and results-based, emphasizing that while the government talks about security and spends money, it has failed to make the necessary capability development decisions over the last two years. The speaker positions themselves as a reform leader whose previous proposals have remained unimplemented.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates knowledge of national defense planning, capability development, and the operations of the National Defense Committee. They employ specific terminology, such as "security tax," and reference the decision-making logic involved in adopting new courses of action following major crises (the war in Ukraine).
1 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The tone is critical, accusatory, and direct, presenting his viewpoint to a colleague in the form of a question. Strong and slightly informal expressions are used (e.g., "messed the whole thing up," "the entire state budget is completely shot"). The emphasis is on the logical inconsistency between the government's rhetoric and the actual results.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
This concerns a question raised during a session of the Riigikogu, which indicates active involvement in the legislative process. It also points to previous long-term activity, including the submission of proposals both while serving in the government and since 2015 in the Riigikogu.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The opposition is strong and directed at the current ruling parties, who are accused of incompetence and inaction. The criticism focuses on the government's inability to change course, stressing that those who worsened the situation cannot fix it, which rules out any compromise with the current leadership.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
They are not showing openness to compromise with the government, but instead are stressing the need for new people. They point to having made proposals previously (even while serving in the government), which demonstrates a desire to contribute to policy-making, but the current communication is confrontational.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is entirely on national security and the international context (the war in Ukraine). There is no regional or local focus.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
Critical of the government’s massive spending, which has unbalanced the state budget under the guise of pursuing security. Opposes the idea of a security tax because the expenditures have failed to bring about significant decisions regarding capability development, stressing the necessity for spending to align with tangible results.
1 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
Not enough data
1 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The primary focus is the national defense development plan and the decisions regarding capability development, which are connected to the draft bill (322 OE) currently under discussion. (He/She) emphasizes that many of his/her group's previous proposals related to national defense remain unimplemented, positioning himself/herself as the champion of the reforms that have not yet been carried out.
1 Speeches Analyzed