By Plenary Sessions: Leo Kunnas
Total Sessions: 52
Fully Profiled: 52
2025-09-24
Fifteenth Riigikogu, sixth sitting, plenary sitting.
The political focus is on national defense and granting the government a mandate for international military operations, limiting participation to up to 100 defense forces personnel. The speaker strongly supports the continuation of this procedure, emphasizing its justification based on previous practice. At the same time, it is stressed that the current security situation requires Estonia to focus attention domestically, which is why the planned participation is record-low (6.5 full years).
2025-09-15
15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary sitting
The speaker vehemently opposes the government's defense industry development and procurement policy, stressing that the current approach is detrimental both to military needs and the economy. The political focus is centered on the nation's long-term capacity to sustain defense expenditures (5.4% of GDP), while simultaneously warning of economic exhaustion. The stance is forcefully critical and performance-driven, accusing decision-makers of strategic errors.
2025-09-10
15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary session
The political position centers on the legislative process and solution finding, offering robust support for the consensus amendment to the emergency act. The objective is to guarantee a consistent and expedited timeline for all parties, demonstrating a pragmatic and policy-driven approach. The speaker’s stance is informative and geared toward problem-solving, highlighting the progress that has been achieved.
2025-09-09
15th Riigikogu, 6th sitting, plenary session.
The speaker adopts a strongly results-oriented position, challenging the government's reporting on the execution of the country's long-term development strategy, "Eesti 2035," specifically within the remit of the Ministry of Defense. The critique centers on the fact that the submitted report fails to align with the strategy's objectives, suggesting that the strategy document itself holds little value. This stance is highly critical of both the government's operational performance and the quality of its strategic planning.
2025-09-04
15th Riigikogu, extraordinary session of the Riigikogu
The political focus is strongly directed towards national defense and security, emphasizing the need to restore and strengthen wartime engineering capabilities and reserves, based on the experiences of the war in Ukraine. He/She poses pointed questions to the government (Prime Minister Kaja Kallas) regarding the timeline and cost of restoring defense capabilities. Furthermore, he/she strongly supports a legislative amendment that would prohibit citizens of states recognized as terrorist from running in local elections. The positions taken are predominantly value-based and policy-driven, demanding concrete practical steps.
2025-06-16
XV Riigikogu, V Session, Plenary Sitting
The speaker strongly emphasizes national security and civil defense readiness. They criticize the government's decision to postpone the requirement for establishing non-public shelters, deeming this dangerous given the current security situation. The focus centers on the implementation of policy and the failure to execute practical measures, pointing to a deep concern regarding security.
2025-06-04
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
The political stance heavily focuses on national defense and military readiness. The speaker firmly supports denouncing the Ottawa Convention, justifying this position by citing the necessity of using anti-personnel landmines when establishing the Baltic defense zone and deterring the enemy in border regions. The framework is pragmatic and policy-driven, emphasizing the convention's ineffectiveness in actual conflicts, where it was superseded by improvised explosive devices.
2025-06-02
15th Riigikogu, Fifth Session, Plenary Session
The political focus is currently aimed at clarifying the employment restrictions for foreign students in Estonia, specifically in comparison to Estonian students. This is a policy-driven issue intended to secure concrete information regarding the scope of the existing limitations. The effort is currently focused on gathering this information and establishing the specific details.
2025-05-21
Fifteenth Riigikogu, Fifth Session, Plenary Session.
The speaker strongly opposes the government's policy of raising taxes. He/She casts doubt on the official explanation (Jürgen Ligi's claim regarding Putin's influence) and highlights Estonia's poor tax policy outcomes compared to Latvia and Finland. The stance is highly critical and results-oriented.
2025-05-19
15th Riigikogu, Fifth Session, Plenary Session.
The political position is critical of the government’s economic performance and is entirely results-driven. The most crucial issue is the significant decline in the competitiveness of the Estonian economy and labor productivity between 2021 and 2023, which casts doubt on the positive rhetoric surrounding innovation. The speaker presents a strong opposition to the government’s optimistic narrative, basing their arguments on official statistics.
2025-03-26
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
The most important topic is national defense and obligations related to citizenship. The speaker adopts a clear, fact-based position, highlighting the restrictions imposed by current legislation concerning the defense service obligation for grey passport holders and citizens of other states. This position is purely policy-based, focusing on the presentation of legal facts.
2025-03-19
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
Politically, the speaker positions himself as a staunch advocate for increasing support for national defense and military personnel (both conscripts and reservists), highlighting the loss of purchasing power due to inflation. He focuses his criticism on the government's inaction and the resulting diffusion of responsibility, which he attributes to organizational failures within the administrative domain. His approach is primarily policy- and results-driven, aiming to find a substantive solution via the executive branch.
2025-03-17
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary sitting
The political stance centers on strong opposition to high immigration quotas and the failure of integration efforts, stressing the threat this poses to the state's ability to assimilate non-Estonians. Furthermore, the speaker questions the rationale behind English-language instruction in Estonian higher education institutions. These positions are deeply value-based, focusing on national capacity and the preservation of identity.
2025-02-17
15th Estonian Parliament, 5th session, plenary session
The political position focuses heavily on security and a significant increase in defense spending (4–4.5% of GDP), citing the demands of allied nations (including US President Trump) and the current security situation. The primary focus is the political dilemma of how to reconcile large defense expenditures with subsidized energy production and the CO2 quota system. The stance is strongly policy- and value-based, emphasizing the prioritization of security.
2025-01-30
Fifteenth Estonian Parliament, fifth session, plenary session.
The most prominent issue is the restriction of voting rights for Russian citizens in local elections, which is being framed as a matter of national security and loyalty. The speaker strongly advocates for granting suffrage only to Estonian and EU citizens, stressing that Russian citizens have no obligation of loyalty to the Estonian state. The underlying framework is clearly based on values and security concerns, linking the right to vote directly to the declaration recognizing Russia as a terrorist state.
2025-01-21
15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, plenary session
The political focus is heavily centered on national defense and rapidly increasing defense expenditures. The speaker forcefully backs an additional investment of approximately 5 billion euros over the next decade to achieve force capability targets and finance territorial defense. This stance is motivated by regional developments (following the example of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia) and anticipated NATO expectations, prioritizing security above the EU's stability criteria.
2025-01-20
15th Riigikogu, 5th session, plenary session
The speaker's position is highly critical of the government's handling of the demographic crisis, which they outright label a "catastrophe." The political focus centers on assessing the government's performance and highlighting its deficiencies, demanding that the government's actions be graded using the five-point system. The stance is strongly results-oriented and confrontational.
2024-12-09
15th Riigikogu, 4th sitting, plenary sitting
The political focus is currently centered on the severe environmental damage caused by mining, particularly concerning phosphorite and rare earth metals. The speaker voices strong concern and skepticism, stressing that the consequences here in Estonia are unlikely to be significantly different from what has occurred elsewhere (for instance, the Nauru catastrophe). This stance is value-based and prioritizes environmental protection.
2024-12-04
15th Estonian Parliament, 4th session, plenary sitting
The political stance is heavily focused on national defense and international stability. The speaker firmly supports the use of a special mandate to rapidly deploy up to 100 military personnel in time-critical situations, while simultaneously stressing the need for strict parliamentary oversight of the executive branch through the National Defense Committee. Regarding foreign policy, skepticism is voiced concerning UN operations, citing the UN Secretary-General’s support for the Putin regime, which has been declared terrorist.
2024-11-13
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session.
The political position is strongly critical of the quality of the government's management and the structure of the proposed budget, asserting that it is incomprehensible and uncontrollable. It deems the improvement of the demographic situation the most crucial priority, which the budget fails to reflect, and criticizes the insufficient growth and distortion of defense spending. The criticism is primarily aimed at the assessment of the government's activity and performance (performance-driven evaluation).
2024-11-11
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session
The political position is strongly focused on opposing abortion, treating it as murder and highlighting the moral divide that exists within society. The stance is deeply value-driven, stressing the necessity for society to understand the nature of the act and behave accordingly. This is a clearly value-based framework that relies on scientific claims.
2024-11-06
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
The political position is strongly oriented towards supporting national defense and international security, emphasizing the need to grant the government a flexible mandate for the rapid deployment of up to 100 servicemen. This support is justified both politically and in terms of security, citing the serious global situation and the critical need for timely action. The objective is to ensure Estonia’s capability to contribute rapidly to operations led by NATO, the EU, or the UN.
2024-10-21
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
The political focus is strongly directed toward international security, particularly the strategic analysis of the war in Ukraine and the role of the allies. There is a strong emphasis on the urgent need for a total overhaul of Ukraine’s mobilization and training system in order to achieve victory. Furthermore, the topic of national memory and historical justice is raised, posing the question of how the state should commemorate Estonians who fought against the Red Army. These positions are value-based and strategically demanding.
2024-10-16
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting
The political focus is on national defense and its funding. He/She criticizes previous policy ("affordable national defense") as an inadequate response to the threat assessment and the cause of a ten-year shortfall. He/She strongly supports the current expenditures, viewing them as unavoidable and long-term, necessary as long as the confrontation with Russia continues. The political framework is heavily security- and results-based.
2024-09-24
15th Riigikogu, 4th sitting, plenary sitting
The political stance centers on a detailed analysis of the legislation, specifically requesting clarifications regarding the proposed amendments to the Investment Funds Act. This constitutes a policy-driven approach aimed at obtaining a precise understanding of the draft bill's substance. Neither specific support nor opposition to the bill has been voiced; instead, the focus remains on gathering information.
2024-09-18
15th Estonian Parliament, 4th sitting, plenary session
The political focus is currently on strengthening comprehensive national defense by expanding the list of vital services to 21 sectors, including food, pharmaceuticals, and state media. The speaker vigorously supports the draft legislation, calling it a significant step forward that should have been implemented years ago. This stance is clearly framed through a political and security lens, emphasizing how the state must function during times of crisis and war.
2024-09-16
The 15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary sitting.
The political focus is directed towards internal security and the establishment of the PPA crisis reserve. Detailed questions are being raised regarding the implementation of the policy and structural solutions, expressing concern about the operational aspects. The approach is heavily focused on policy and implementation, seeking clarity regarding the timeline for achieving the goals.
2024-09-11
Fifteenth Riigikogu, fourth session, plenary session
The political position is highly critical of the structure for managing defense personnel, particularly concerning the consolidation of the Defense Resources Agency. This stance is results-oriented, emphasizing the necessity of returning to the 2020 level of active servicemen and achieving subsequent growth. The speaker is worried about the decline in defense forces staffing levels between 2021 and 2022.
2024-07-22
15th Riigikogu, Riigikogu's extraordinary session.
The political focus is heavily directed toward national security, covering defense spending and internal security. The speaker demands that the prime ministerial candidate provide a precise, results-based comparison between the new government's plans and the previous administration's decisions. It is especially important to find out the exact percentage of GDP allocated to defense spending for the next year. The overall stance is rather scrutinizing, focusing heavily on policy and measurable results.
2024-06-10
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session
The political focus is heavily concentrated on enhancing national defense capabilities, particularly the development of engineering/pioneer capacity and defensive structures (the Baltic Wall). The speaker stresses the necessity of replenishing the stocks transferred to Ukraine and initiating the production of military-grade explosives within Estonia, justifying this approach based on the lessons learned from the ongoing war. This is a robust and results-oriented position, demanding swift financial decisions from the government.
2024-06-04
15th Riigikogu, third session, plenary sitting
The political focus is on regulating the status of the Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) as a provider of vital services. A moderate and pragmatic position is being maintained, emphasizing the necessity of a new law while acknowledging that preparatory work has been completed, but much effort still lies ahead.
2024-06-03
Fifteenth Riigikogu, third session, plenary sitting.
The political focus is strongly on national defense and security, emphasizing the need to accelerate the mobilization system by allowing reservists to keep their weapons at home. The speaker is critical of the government's inaction regarding the development of the defense industry, highlighting Estonia's lag (a 0:4 score) behind Latvia and Lithuania in attracting foreign capital. The viewpoints are strongly security- and results-based, stressing that the worsening security situation compels the finding of solutions. Furthermore, he supports implementing measures to block Russian propaganda in order to solve other problems.
2024-05-27
Fifteenth Riigikogu, third session, plenary session
The political position focuses on strong opposition to the concept of the legal incapacity of unborn children. The speaker frames their position on a value-based foundation, warning against arbitrary mass killing practices similar to those employed by totalitarian regimes. The position is intense and links legal definitions to historical crimes against humanity.
2024-05-16
Fifteenth Riigikogu, Third Session, Plenary Session
The political focus is directed towards the practical and regulatory steps required for launching strategic industries (such as the production of explosives). This position aims to support entrepreneurship in a sector characterized by high demand and significant profit potential. The framework is clearly policy- and procedure-centric, seeking answers regarding the simplest steps necessary to initiate production.
2024-05-08
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session.
The political position strongly supports expanding the counter-intelligence capabilities of the defense forces, emphasizing this as a crucial step given the growth in the size of the military during wartime and the threat posed by Russian hybrid warfare. This is a firm, policy-driven stance focused on enhancing the effectiveness of national defense and guaranteeing security. The speaker points to previous defense policy (specifically the era of "affordable" national defense) as having been ineffective.
2024-05-06
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session.
The political focus is currently centered on the future of the education network and the prospects of regional schools (Orava, Vastseliina, Räpina). A politician is submitting a question to the minister, seeking clarity on the government's plans, which highlights concerns regarding the survival of local educational institutions. This stance demands information and is driven by the worries of the local community.
2024-05-02
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
The political focus centers on legislative clarity and religious freedom, particularly concerning the definition of terrorism, stressing that entire religious organizations cannot be declared terrorist. [The speaker/focus] strongly supports the transition of Orthodox Church congregations from the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate to that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, although acknowledging the secular limitations of the state. The speaker’s position is value-based, emphasizing constructiveness and clarity within the text of the law.
2024-04-17
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary sitting
The political focus is on ensuring the reliability and security of e-voting. The speaker is strongly critical of the current system, citing its international isolation and drawing parallels with Russian practices. The stance is distinctly procedural and security-oriented, underscoring the fundamental necessity of transparency. The criticism targets the system's deficiencies rather than political values themselves.
2024-04-16
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session
The political stance is heavily focused on guaranteeing the nation's financial stability and security. The speaker supports the technical precious metals bill but utilizes this platform to urgently call for a substantial increase in Estonia's gold reserve (to 20–30 tons) to safeguard the country against a potential collapse of the financial system. Furthermore, he/she questions the validity of the "Estonia 2035" strategy, arguing that it no longer aligns with the current serious security and economic climate.
2024-04-10
15th Estonian Parliament, 3rd session, plenary session
The political emphasis is heavily placed on national defense and safeguarding the autonomy of the Defence League (KL). The highest priority is considered to be the precise definition of the role of KL's collegiate central bodies within the law, ensuring the organization's stable development and independence from ministerial oversight. There is strong support for amending the Defence League Act, and this is viewed as the most crucial task for the current composition of the National Defence Committee. The political framework blends a policy-based approach (legal precision) with a value-based approach (the KL belongs to the people).
2024-04-03
15th Estonian Parliament, 3rd sitting, plenary session
The political position heavily emphasizes national defense and the structural problems facing the border guard. The speaker views the merger of the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) that occurred before 2014 as a mistake, resulting from a flawed threat assessment concerning Russia. He supports either restoring an independent border guard force or fully militarizing the PPA to guarantee border protection and readiness against hybrid threats. The focus is on conceptual and management issues at the national level.
2024-04-01
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
The political focus is split between national security and historical justice. On the security front, the speaker expresses strong concern over the rise of Islamic extremism and the limited capacity of the Security Police Board (Kaitsepolitseiamet) to operate on two fronts. Furthermore, he demands action regarding the monuments and names of individuals involved in Soviet-era crimes (deportations), emphasizing a value-based approach to history.
2024-03-13
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary sitting.
The political emphasis is on creating a comprehensive and broad-based national defense strategy extending to 2045, while simultaneously criticizing previous short-sighted and inadequate development plans. The speaker urgently demands the drafting of a new emergency development plan covering the period until 2034, which must encompass all five security domains, not solely military defense. He stresses that moving toward budget balance is dangerous in the current security environment and necessitates increased borrowing. This stance is rooted in policy and strategic management principles.
2024-03-06
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
The political position focuses on demographic sustainability and the management of quotas for the immigration and settlement of foreign-origin populations. The speaker emphasizes quantitative restrictions (a 0.1% annual quota, 130,000 people per century) and refers to the Soviet-era legacy. This stance is cautious and policy-based, expressing concern about the state's capacity to integrate these individuals into society.
2024-03-04
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary sitting
The political focus is currently on the proposed car tax bill and the implementation of its exemptions. The speaker is challenging the narrow definition of ‘operational vehicles,’ strongly advocating for a full tax exemption for all vehicles belonging to national defense and internal security institutions (the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), the Rescue Board, the Defense Forces, and the Defense League). This stance is rooted in policy and implementation concerns, focusing specifically on practical deficiencies within the draft legislation.
2024-02-07
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary sitting.
The political stance heavily emphasizes tax reduction, advocating for cuts to both the corporate income tax rate and the value-added tax rate (the latter being reduced to 18.4%). These positions are put forward as objectives for specific policy initiatives and legislative bills.
2024-01-25
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session
The political focus is on the nation's security of supply, particularly ensuring food reserves. It strongly supports the logical and legally mandated distribution of functions, favoring the responsibility of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (MKM), given that the Centre of Reserves is already under their jurisdiction. Concern is expressed regarding the slow pace of the Government Office in handling the draft legislation, which has been pending for two years.
2024-01-24
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session
The political position centers on specific, narrow fiscal policy measures, such as lowering the excise tax on heavy fuel oil and increasing the tax-exempt limit for employee travel compensation. These stances are policy-focused and directed toward providing concrete economic relief. The overall direction is either reducing the tax burden or raising the tax-free thresholds.
2024-01-17
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session
The political focus is on tax policy, with clear support for reducing the income tax rates for both individuals and legal entities. This position is presented purely through describing the content of the draft legislation, specifically mentioning concrete rates (e.g., 18% and 18.3%).
2024-01-15
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session.
The most prominent topic is national defense and the rapid enhancement of indirect fire capability, which is deemed critically insufficient in the context of the current war. The politician demands immediate decisions from the government regarding the acquisition of new artillery and mortar systems, as well as a further increase in defense spending above 3.2% of GDP. Furthermore, he expresses concern about the volume of migration and Estonia's capacity to successfully integrate newcomers. The political framework is strongly policy- and results-driven, focusing on specific military needs and established timelines.
2024-01-10
15th Riigikogu, 3rd sitting, plenary session
The political focus is centered on opposing the government’s proposed VAT hike, which is deemed ineffective given the current economic downturn. The speaker’s stance is strongly policy- and results-driven, emphasizing the negative impact of the tax increase on turnover and revenue collection. This position clearly advocates for a tax reduction, proposing alternative rates (17.5% and 19.5%).
2024-01-09
15th Riigikogu, 3rd session, plenary session
The most crucial issue is the proper handling of national defense matters in the Riigikogu (Parliament), particularly those concerning defense-related properties. The political approach emphasizes procedural precision and the inclusion of relevant bodies, specifically the National Defense Committee, when debating defense-related topics. The overall position is moderate, focusing on adherence to the policy framework and procedural requirements.