Session Profile: Madis Kallas
15th Riigikogu, extraordinary session of the Riigikogu
2025-09-04
Political Position
The political emphasis is placed on reducing educational and regional inequality, particularly by addressing teachers' salaries and the accessibility of education. The representative strongly supports state intervention to ensure local governments receive full funding for the minimum teacher salary and to guarantee the viability of regional colleges. These views are deeply rooted in policy and values, highlighting a social democratic direction. This person is a member of the Social Democratic Party.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
High level of expertise in education policy and teacher remuneration, utilizing specific terminology such as the salary floor, coefficients, and school network mapping. Demonstrates knowledge of regional education initiatives (e.g., the measure concerning six-grade rural schools) and the regional accessibility of higher education. Utilizes numerical references to support arguments (e.g., 1.2 times the average salary and a minimum salary of 1970 euros).
3 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The rhetorical style is formal and procedural, focusing on the submission of interpellations during Riigikogu sessions. The tone is concerned and businesslike, highlighting the growing educational inequality and funding issues. The speaker relies on logical arguments and political specifics, demanding concrete answers and comprehensive reports from the ministers.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker is active during the Riigikogu sessions, consistently submitting interpellations throughout the analyzed period (June and September 2025). This pattern of activity indicates a focus on holding the government accountable through formal parliamentary methods regarding issues of education and regional policy.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The representative operates in opposition, submitting interpellations to the Minister of Education and Research and the Minister of Regional Affairs and Agriculture. The criticism is political and focuses on the shortcomings of the government's activities concerning the deepening of educational inequality and the underfunding of local municipalities. The attacks are directed at policy and funding, not personal.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
The pattern of cooperation is clearly intra-party, as all the inquiries were submitted jointly with other members of the Social Democratic Party (6–7 signatures). In the third speech, a pragmatic approach is demonstrated, promising to withdraw the inquiry if the minister can resolve the concern using the budget data. There is no data available regarding cross-party cooperation.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
A strong regional focus on internal inequalities within Estonia, particularly concerning the accessibility of education in sparsely populated areas and regions further away from major population centers. The necessity of ensuring the viability of small rural schools and regional colleges is emphasized. Specific examples are highlighted in the context of wage disparities between Harju County and Ida-Viru County.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
Economic perspectives focus on the issues of labor and public sector wage levels, supporting state funding to ensure fair remuneration for teachers and kindergarten teachers. Additional support from the state budget is demanded for local municipalities to prevent their underfunding in the context of salary increases. State intervention is supported to ensure the viability of regional educational institutions.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
The primary social issue being addressed is educational inequality, which is directly linked to disparities in teachers' salaries and the structure of the school network. The representative advocates for equal and accessible education across all regions of Estonia, emphasizing the necessity of supporting smaller schools and kindergarten teachers. No moral or religious framework is utilized.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The legislative focus is directed toward parliamentary oversight, utilizing interpellations to ministers as the primary tool. Priorities involve the funding of the education budget (specifically, salary support for kindergarten teachers in the 2026 budget) and the analysis of regional education measures. The objective is to ensure that legally mandated salary increases are fully compensated to local governments.
3 Speeches Analyzed