Session Profile: Rain Epler
Fifteenth Riigikogu, third sitting, plenary session
2024-03-07
Political Position
The political focus centers on Estonia’s competitiveness and energy policy, delivering a strong critique of the government’s current direction. The speaker vigorously supports securing dispatchable capacities (nuclear energy and oil shale) and opposes prioritizing the development of weather-dependent energy sources. The political framework is clearly results-oriented, stressing investment certainty and sound economic logic. He criticizes the government’s reasoning—that consumption should be created first, and only then should energy be produced to meet it—calling this an upside-down narrative.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Topic Expertise
The speaker demonstrates deep expertise in the fields of energy and infrastructure, utilizing specific terminology (LCOE, FCOE, EROI, congestion fee). He supports his arguments with data and international examples, comparing electricity prices in France and Germany, as well as US subsidization. The expertise covers both the costs of energy production and the technical details of grid connections (e.g., capacity differences in the Estonia-Latvia interconnector).
6 Speeches Analyzed
Rhetorical Style
The style is analytical, critical, and at times ironic, calling into question the government's energy logic and the honesty of politicians. The speaker employs strong accusations (lying, spin/obfuscation) and highlights the logical contradiction between political slogans and economic reality. The overall tone is concerned and urgent regarding Estonia's competitiveness, relying primarily on economic rationality.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Activity Patterns
The speaker is highly active in the plenary session's energy debate, posing multiple questions and delivering a long, critical closing address. His/Her operational patterns include preparatory work and participation in committees (the Economic Affairs Committee), as well as direct communication with ministry Secretaries-General to verify the accuracy of the data provided. He/She references previously submitted questions and the corresponding answers, which later proved to be the opposite.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Opposition Stance
The opposition is aimed at the government and top politicians (Minister Michal, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Climate, a Socialist minister), who are being accused of incompetence, ignoring the reality hidden behind their slogans, and outright lying. The criticism is intense and focuses on political decisions that impede industrial investments and undermine competitiveness. The speaker also criticizes the bureaucratic hurdles resulting from these political decisions.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Collaboration Style
Cooperation is not directly mentioned, apart from polite addresses to colleagues ("Dear colleague Andres"). The speaker's position is largely critical and confrontational toward the government's policy, focusing on highlighting the mistakes in the government's actions.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Regional Focus
The focus is on Estonia's national energy strategy and international competitiveness, using major European countries (France, Germany) for comparison. Specific infrastructure projects are mentioned, such as the Estonia-Latvia fourth connection (which would be better named the Paide-Sõrve connection) and bottlenecks heading north (the Finland/Sweden connection).
6 Speeches Analyzed
Economic Views
The economic views are strongly pro-entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of competitiveness and investment certainty, which requires sufficient and accessible energy. The speaker criticizes the fast-track increase of taxes, duties, and fees, as well as the complication of regulations without involving businesses. He supports industrial investments that help add value to wood locally and recycle plastic.
6 Speeches Analyzed
Social Issues
Insufficient data
6 Speeches Analyzed
Legislative Focus
The primary legislative focus is on the plan to ensure dispatchable energy generation capacities, requiring the acceleration of nuclear energy development and the continued use of oil shale during the transition period. Attention is also focused on the transparency of financing critical infrastructure connections (such as the fourth Estonia-Latvia connection), especially concerning the use of congestion revenue. He emphasizes the need to remove bureaucratic obstacles standing in the way of industrial investments.
6 Speeches Analyzed