Session Profile: Riina Solman

The political position is strongly focused on expanding the protection of children's rights through the UN Optional Protocol, stressing its necessity in resolving serious cases (such as sexual abuse). The speaker also strongly advocates for supporting demography and birth rates, highlighting previously successful measures. Furthermore, he sharply criticizes the current government's move to liberalize the granting of citizenship to perpetrators of serious crimes, viewing this as motivated by ideological goals and the acquisition of new voters.

The speaker demonstrates deep expertise regarding the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its procedural aspects, providing a comprehensive overview of the discussion held by the Social Affairs Committee and raising practical questions concerning implementation and costs. Furthermore, they possess specific knowledge in the fields of demography and family policy, referencing concrete support measures (the 2017 support package) and international experience (Israel). They are also familiar with the previous government’s practice of granting citizenship to individuals who have committed serious crimes.

The rhetorical style is formal and thorough during the co-presentation, offering detailed procedural overviews and clarifying legal nuances. When questions and criticism are raised, the tone becomes sharper and more concerned, employing judgmental language (e.g., "insane positions" and "downward spiral"). The speaker balances the presentation of legal and political arguments with personal experience and moral considerations, highlighting the vulnerability of children.

The speaker is highly active during the plenary session, serving as a co-presenter of the bill and repeatedly posing questions to both the minister and the rapporteur on various subjects. He/She references his/her prior tenure as Minister of Population Affairs and a recent foreign trip to Israel undertaken to gather information on demographics, which demonstrates proactive knowledge acquisition outside the Riigikogu chamber.

Fierce opposition is aimed at the Ministry of the Interior and the Interior Minister (SDE) regarding their policy on citizenship liberalization, accusing them of political corruption aimed at creating new Russian-speaking voters. The criticism is intense and ideological, linking these political choices to debates over voting rights and labeling it "ideologically corrupted thinking." It also indirectly criticizes the pessimistic stance of the Ministry of Social Affairs' analysts concerning demographics.

The individual operates cooperatively within the Social Affairs Committee, presenting a consensus decision (6:1) to support the protocol on children's rights and detailing the questions raised by other committee members. They refer to Isamaa's support for the ratification of the protocol. During the plenary session, they are forthright when posing questions, demanding practical explanations and words of encouragement regarding demography from the minister and the rapporteur.

The focus is primarily national (implementation of Estonian children's rights, demography, citizenship policy) and international (UN protocol, Israel's demographic experience). Specific local or regional topics in Estonia are absent; the emphasis is on the adoption of international norms and national policy.

Economic views focus on the efficiency of social spending, supporting targeted state investments in family benefits that have yielded measurable results in birth rates. Caution is expressed regarding the hidden costs associated with the draft legislation, demanding clarity on the communication expenses related to the implementation of the protocol.

When it comes to social issues, the protection of children's rights is at the forefront, particularly in the context of sexual abuse and disputes between parents, thereby underscoring children's inherent vulnerability. There is a heavy emphasis on demography and supporting the birth rate, which is viewed as initiating a positive spiral. Regarding citizenship, the position favors a strict approach, opposing any liberalization of granting citizenship to perpetrators of serious crimes, based on both security and moral grounds.

The main legislative focus is the ratification of the Act on Accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child concerning a Communications Procedure, initiated by the Government of the Republic, where the speaker is a co-rapporteur and a strong supporter. Additionally, he/she actively oversees the granting of citizenship and the implementation of demographic policy, raising inquiries about changing current practices.