Agenda Profile: Madis Kallas
Chair implementation
2025-09-04
15th Riigikogu, extraordinary session of the Riigikogu
Political Position
The political focus is on reducing educational and regional inequality, stressing the necessity of ensuring fair compensation for school and kindergarten teachers, tied to the national average wage. The speaker strongly advocates for national measures (such as an additional coefficient or grants to local municipalities) to mitigate this inequality. These positions are strongly policy-driven, focusing on rectifying specific support mechanisms and addressing deficiencies in budget planning.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates profound expertise in the field of education policy and wage regulation, employing specific terminology such as minimum wage, coefficient, and state support mechanisms for local municipalities. Their understanding of the causes of teacher salary disparities (school size, regional decisions) is particularly detailed, coupled with the ability to cite concrete salary figures and multipliers (e.g., 1.2 times the average salary, a minimum wage of 1970 euros).
3 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The style is formal and respectful, employing standard forms of address when speaking before the Riigikogu. The tone is analytical and concerned, particularly regarding educational inequality, but the presentation itself is rather logical and procedural (submitting interpellations with specific questions). Pragmatism is demonstrated in the third speech, noting that the interpellation is "somewhat premature" and expressing a readiness to withdraw it if the answers prove satisfactory.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The individual's pattern of activity includes submitting interpellations to the Riigikogu, which occurred three times over a four-month period (June and September 2025). This activity has consistently focused on topics of education and regional policy, indicating systematic oversight of the government's actions.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The criticism is directed at government ministries (the Ministry of Education and Research, the Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture), focusing on political shortcomings in addressing educational inequality and ensuring wage subsidies. The criticism is policy-based and moderate in intensity, demanding answers and an overview regarding the impact of existing measures.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The speaker is working in cooperation with their party colleagues, submitting interpellations on behalf of six or seven members of the Social Democratic Party. A willingness for a procedural compromise is evident, promising to withdraw the interpellation if the minister provides a satisfactory answer regarding wage subsidies for kindergarten teachers.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The regional focus is very strong, concentrating on alleviating educational inequality in sparsely populated areas and regions distant from major growth centers. Separate emphasis is placed on the viability of small rural schools and the wage disparities observed in Harju County and Ida-Viru County, pointing to the necessity of implementing specific regional measures.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
Economic viewpoints stress the fair remuneration of the workforce (teachers) and advocate for state intervention through raising minimum wage thresholds and providing additional subsidies aimed at local municipalities. This suggests a prioritization of social justice and state funding in the public sector.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The primary social issue is educational inequality and access to education, which is examined through the lens of regional disparities and teacher compensation. The speaker stresses the necessity of guaranteeing high-quality education even in small rural schools and regional colleges, and combating wage disparities within the education system.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus is directed toward parliamentary oversight, initiating formal inquiries to ministers. The priority involves demanding an analysis of existing measures (e.g., the measure concerning six-grade rural schools) and clarifying the state budget (2026) regarding salary subsidies for kindergarten teachers, thus operating as the initiator of the oversight process.
3 Speeches Analyzed