Opposition seeks vote of no confidence in Taavi Roivas after two partners in ruling coalition withdraw their support

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Estonia’s coalition government could be threatened with collapse this week after two junior coalition partners called on the prime minister to resign and the opposition called for a vote of no confidence.

The prime minister of the smallest Baltic state, with a population of 1.3 million, Taavi Roivas has little room to manoeuvre to save his fractious coalition government.

The government was formed after elections in April 2015 with his centre-right Reform party, Social Democrats, and the conservative-nationalist Pro-Patria and Res Publica Union holding 59 seats in the 101-seat parliament.

On Monday the Social Democrats and Pro-Patria and Res Publica Union called on the prime minister to resign, saying there was too little trust between the coalition partners and they wanted a new majority government.

Estonia parliament votes for first female president Read more

“The Estonian state leadership needs new energy and fresh ideas,” said Jevgeni Ossinovski, chairman of the Estonian Social Democrats.

The opposition called for a vote of no confidence in the prime minister, to be held on Wednesday. Without the support of coalition partners he cannot survive the vote.

The Reform party’s deputy chairman, Hanno Pevkur, said on the country’s public broadcaster ETV that the party’s management board would meet early on Tuesday to discuss the matter.