Agenda Profile: Priit Sibul
Draft law amending the Act on Termination of Pregnancy and Sterilisation (459 SE) - First Reading
2024-11-11
15th Riigikogu, 4th session, plenary session
Political Position
The political position is strongly value-driven and ideological, supporting the goal of Bill 459 SE to terminate state funding for elective abortions. He/She considers this proposal the absolute minimum for discussion on the floor and criticizes the expansion of the debate to topics not covered by the bill. He/She distances himself/herself from the official stance of his/her faction (Isamaa), emphasizing his/her personal, more extreme views.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
Demonstrates knowledge of healthcare service pricing and state budget compensation, inquiring about the Health Insurance Fund's (Tervisekassa) pricing structure and the amount paid to service providers (e.g., 17.50 euros). They are aware of the service co-payment rate (50%) and the significant price disparity in private clinics (35.34 euros versus 300 euros). Furthermore, they emphasize the brevity and clarity of the draft bill, referring to its "two-line" content.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The style adopted in the questioning is analytical and detailed, focusing on the content and financing of the draft bill. In the main speech, the tone is passionate and moral, utilizing a personal story (speaking at a school 16 years ago) to emphasize the seriousness of the topic. The speaker uses sharp language to criticize opponents who talk about "fence holes," and expresses hope that the discussion itself will help prevent abortions.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
He/She actively participated in the first reading of the bill, submitting two detailed questions and delivering one longer address. He/She mentions that he/she also listened to the discussion from his/her office, which suggests continuous activity. There is no information available regarding events that took place outside the Riigikogu.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
He/She strongly criticizes the opponents (including the representative of the Ministry of Social Affairs) for misinterpreting the content of the draft bill, accusing them of shifting the focus to topics that the bill does not address (e.g., banning abortions). He/She questions the credibility of the rapporteur and the ministry representative, asking whether they had read the draft bill at all. The criticism is primarily procedural and substantive.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
He publicly distances himself from the official stance of his faction (Isamaa), stressing that his statement is personal and does not necessarily reflect the views of all his fellow faction members. He expresses strong support and recognition for the bill's initiator, Varro Vooglaid, demonstrating a willingness to cooperate on ideological grounds.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
Insufficient data.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The focus is on state budget expenditures in healthcare, advocating for the termination of public funding for elective services (services performed at one's own request). He/She pays close attention to the precise figures for service pricing, patient co-payments, and state compensation, noting the necessity of debating whether the service in question qualifies as a healthcare service eligible for state budget compensation at all.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
Takes a strong moral and ethical stance on abortion, supporting the end of state funding for elective terminations of pregnancy. He/She stresses that this is clearly a moral issue in addition to being a medical one, and shares a personal experience regarding how this topic was handled in schools. He/She hopes that this discussion will help reduce the number of abortions.
3 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The main legislative priority is supporting draft bill 459 SE, which seeks to prohibit the state funding of elective abortions. He/She is a strong proponent of this narrow and clearly defined bill, while simultaneously criticizing the committee's negative stance and expressing hope that the bill will eventually be adopted.
3 Speeches Analyzed