Session Profile: Helir-Valdor Seeder

A strong and broad-based opposition to the government, focusing on the poor quality of the government's governance and the lack of trust shown toward parliament and society. The sharpest points of contention concern the amendment of the constitution (the issue of suffrage) and unfair tax policy (the car tax). The stance is clearly results-oriented and values-driven, demanding a vote of no confidence in the government and the formation of a new coalition. The political framework is crisis-centric, pointing to "disorder" in all sectors.

The speaker demonstrates thorough knowledge regarding the interpretation of the Riigikogu Rules of Procedure and Internal Rules Act, citing a specific section (§ 134) and previous practice (the vote of no confidence in Sven Sester in 2017). He/She is also familiar with the details of education policy, such as the extension of vocational education to four years and the reorganization of the Maarjamaa school. Furthermore, he/she uses statistics, citing the reduction in pensions for 146,000 pensioners in January.

The tone is predominantly critical, accusatory, and insistent, especially when describing the government's activities, using expressions like "ligadi-logadi, killadi-kolladi" [higgledy-piggledy, slapdash]. Both logical arguments (interpretation of the rules of procedure, the message from allies) and emotional appeals (saving money at the expense of pensioners and children with special educational needs) are utilized. The speaker employs rhetorical questions and sharp retorts, accusing the government of making "troika-style" decisions before the debate even begins.

The speaker is highly active during the session, repeatedly raising procedural questions regarding the timing of the no-confidence debate and delivering a long, eight-minute presentation in support of the motion of no confidence against the government. Their pattern of activity demonstrates a focus on monitoring parliamentary procedure and offering extensive criticism of the government. They also reference previous actions where the opposition proposed the establishment of a special committee on demographic issues.

The primary opponents are Prime Minister Michal, the Reform Party, and the government coalition as a whole, all of whom are accused of failing to trust parliament and the public. The criticism is both procedural (concerning the interpretation of the rules of procedure) and political (citing disorder, unfair taxes, and the absence of a family policy). The speaker also criticizes the interior minister's "strange statements" and the justice minister's initiatives regarding the importation of prisoners. Compromise is ruled out, as the demands are for a vote of no confidence in the government and the formation of a new coalition.

The speaker expresses a desire for cross-party cooperation on crucial issues, citing the need to find common ground on demographic matters and criticizing the government for rejecting the establishment of a dedicated ad hoc committee on the issue. He stresses that the Isamaa faction is seeking a new solution and the opportunity to form a better coalition within the current parliamentary composition. There is a complete lack of readiness to cooperate with the government.

The focus is primarily on national strategic issues (energy, national defense, the constitution). The regional focus becomes apparent in the criticism of the car tax, highlighting its unfairness toward people living in sparsely populated rural areas who have no public transport alternative. The lack of the benefit provided by Tallinn's free public transport in rural areas is also mentioned.

The speaker is a strong advocate for fiscal discipline, criticizing the government for its failure to align long-term expenditures with revenues. He is fiercely opposed to the car tax, calling it the most unfair tax since the restoration of independence, as it disproportionately affects families with children and rural residents. Also criticized are cost-saving measures implemented at the expense of pensioners and the impact of inflation on the value of money.

The speaker focuses on the crises in education policy—specifically the merging of schools for children with special educational needs (SEN) without consulting the relevant stakeholders—and demography/family policy, accusing the government of ignoring the record-low birth rate. He emphasizes internal security in relation to the issue of suffrage and criticizes the constitutional amendment that would permanently enshrine voting rights for stateless persons. The reduction in pensioners' incomes is viewed as a form of social injustice.

The main focus is on opposing the government-initiated draft constitutional amendment because it removes voting rights from citizens of allied countries (Switzerland, Japan, Australia) while simultaneously enshrining the voting rights of stateless persons. Criticism is also directed at the government’s inaction and its tendency to make decisions before submitting crucial legislation (such as the Climate Law and the energy development plan) to Parliament.