Estonia's political parties explained: who's who before 2027

Estonia's parliamentary election is on Sunday 7 March 2027, with internet voting from 1 to 6 March. Voters elect the 101 members of the Riigikogu, the Estonian parliament, for four years in 12 electoral districts. Only Estonian citizens aged 18 or over can vote: people living in Estonia with another citizenship or with no citizenship do not vote in this election. The threshold for parties is 5% of valid votes nationwide.

There are 13 registered parties. This guide covers the seven included in the test: those with seats in the Riigikogu or more than 5% in the polls.

As of October 2026, the government is formed by Reformierakond and Eesti 200; since August 2026 the coalition has 50 seats, one short of a majority. The other five parties are in opposition. In four polls from September and October 2026, the four largest opposition parties (Isamaa, Keskerakond, SDE and EKRE) together stand at 71–74.5%, and the two governing parties together at 12–17%.

The seven parties at a glance

The poll column shows the lowest and highest result in four surveys: Norstat 24 Aug–19 Sep and 7 Sep–3 Oct 2026, Emor 14–23 Sep 2026 and Turu-uuringute 1–7 Oct 2026. Percentages are of respondents who named a preference. On the compass, −100 means left or progressive and +100 means right or conservative; each position is calculated from the party's positions on the test statements. The match percentages under each party show how similarly two parties answer the test statements. All figures are as of 15 October 2026.

Reformierakond (Reform Party)

The Estonian Reform Party is a liberal party founded in 1994 by Siim Kallas. It belongs to the ALDE Party and, in the European Parliament, to the Renew Europe group. It has led the government for most of the time since 2005 and won the 2023 election with 31.2% of the vote and 37 seats. Since 2024 it has been led by Kristen Michal, prime minister since July of that year. It won 10% in the 2025 local elections.

What it proposes: a flat income tax (22%, with €700 a month tax-free since 2026), defence spending of at least 5% of GDP, Estonian-only schooling, European integration and the digital state.

In the test: its positions match Eesti 200 the most (88%) and EKRE the least (46%). Party page: Reformierakond

EKRE (Conservative People's Party)

The Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) was formed in 2012 by the merger of the agrarian People's Union with the Estonian Nationalist Movement. Since 2020 it has been led by Martin Helme, who succeeded his father, Mart Helme. It governed from 2019 to 2021 with Keskerakond and Isamaa and has been in opposition since. In 2023 it won 16.1% and 17 seats; after the 2024 split that produced the ERK party, and other departures, its group now has 9 MPs. It describes itself as national-conservative.

What it proposes: an immigration quota of 0.1% of the population and an end to hiring cheap foreign labour, Estonian-only schooling, abolishing the car tax, a return to oil-shale electricity without subsidies for wind and solar power, a European Union of nation states with a referendum on any treaty change, direct election of the president and citizen-initiated referendums.

In the test: its positions match Isamaa the most (75%) and SDE the least (44%). Party page: EKRE

Keskerakond (Centre Party)

The Estonian Centre Party grew out of the Popular Front in 1991 and has led several governments, most recently under Jüri Ratas (2016–2021). Since 2023 it has been led by Mihhail Kõlvart, a former mayor of Tallinn. Of the 16 seats it won in 2023 it keeps 7, as more than half of its MPs moved to other parties. It has been in opposition since 2022; it won the 2025 local elections and runs Tallinn together with Isamaa. Its voters are mainly Russian speakers. It voted against the 2025 constitutional amendment that removed the local voting rights of third-country citizens, and in 2026 it began talks on joining the European Conservatives and Reformists party (ECR).

What it proposes: a progressive income tax, a lower VAT rate on food, abolishing the car tax, keeping oil-shale power and keeping mother-tongue teaching in the move to Estonian-language schooling.

In the test: its positions match EKRE the most (69%) and Parempoolsed the least (47%). Party page: Keskerakond

Eesti 200

Eesti 200 is a liberal party founded in 2018. It grew out of a manifesto that called for long-term plans for "a 200-year Estonia". It entered the Riigikogu in 2023 with 13.3% of the vote and 14 seats and has governed with Reformierakond ever since, holding among others the foreign and education ministries and the speakership of parliament. Since 2024 it has been led by Kristina Kallas, the education minister. Its support fell below 5% in 2024, and it took 1.7% in the 2025 local elections. After several departures it has 12 seats, and in autumn 2026 it is considering a merger with the Greens (Rohelised).

What it proposes: Estonian-only schooling, a climate law, marriage equality, a personalised digital state and high defence spending.

In the test: its positions match Reformierakond the most (88%) and EKRE the least (46%). Party page: Eesti 200

SDE (Social Democratic Party)

The Social Democratic Party (SDE) descends from the Estonian Social Democratic Party re-founded in 1990 and has had its current name since 2004. It belongs to the Party of European Socialists. Since 2022 it has been led by Lauri Läänemets, a former interior minister. It won 9 seats in 2023 and now has 14 MPs after five joined from other parties. It governed with Reformierakond from 2022 until March 2025, when Prime Minister Kristen Michal removed it from the coalition; it has been in opposition since. It is a centre-left party.

What it proposes: a progressive income tax, a lower VAT rate on basic food, higher pensions, a single Estonian-language school system, marriage equality as passed in 2023, and an energy transition based on wind power with no new oil-shale plants.

In the test: its positions match Eesti 200 the most (73%) and EKRE the least (44%). Party page: SDE

Isamaa ("Fatherland")

Isamaa is a national-conservative party and a member of the European People's Party. It was formed in 2006 by the merger of the Pro Patria Union (Isamaaliit) and Res Publica, and traces its roots to the independence movements of the late 1980s. Since 2023 it has been led by former foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu. In 2023 it won 8.2% and 8 seats; it now has 11 MPs after three joined from other parties. In the 2025 local elections it came first in Tartu and won the mayoralty of Tallinn in coalition with Keskerakond. It is in opposition and has led most polls since 2024.

What it proposes: abolishing the car tax, cutting VAT, curbing spending and the deficit, supporting the birth rate with tax breaks for families, Estonian-only schooling, defining marriage in the Constitution as the union of a man and a woman, a restrictive migration policy and military aid to Ukraine.

In the test: its positions match EKRE the most (75%) and SDE the least (55%). Party page: Isamaa

Parempoolsed ("The Right-Wingers")

Erakond Parempoolsed is a centre-right liberal party founded in 2022 by former Isamaa members who had formed an internal faction in 2020. It has been led since its creation by former prosecutor general Lavly Perling, re-elected in August 2026. In 2023 it won 2.3% and did not enter the Riigikogu; it took 6.8% in the 2024 European elections, without winning a seat, and 4.7% in the 2025 local elections. Since August 2026 it has one MP, Kalev Stoicescu, who came from Eesti 200.

What it proposes: cutting income tax to 18% and VAT to 20%, freezing public spending, privatising state companies, more co-payment in healthcare and partial university tuition fees, building a nuclear power plant and extending compulsory military service to all citizens.

In the test: its positions match Reformierakond the most (74%) and Keskerakond the least (47%). Party page: Parempoolsed

The main dividing lines

The test's political compass places the parties on two axes: the economy (left or right) and values (progressive or conservative).

• On the economy, SDE (−83.3) and Keskerakond (−77.8) are on the left, EKRE is close to the centre (−5.6), and Isamaa (+22.2), Eesti 200 (+44.4), Reformierakond (+50.0) and, furthest of all, Parempoolsed (+88.9) are on the right.
• On values, EKRE is the most conservative (+85.7), followed by Isamaa (+46.4) and Keskerakond (+28.6). On the progressive side are Eesti 200 (−57.1), Reformierakond and SDE (both −53.6) and Parempoolsed (−25.0).

Taking both axes together, Reformierakond, Eesti 200 and Parempoolsed are right-wing on the economy and liberal on values; SDE is left-wing and progressive; Keskerakond is left-wing and conservative; Isamaa is right-wing and conservative; and EKRE is the most conservative but close to the centre on the economy. Both governing parties sit in the same quarter of the map; the opposition parties are spread across all four.

The same lines show up in the parties' proposals:

• Income tax: Reformierakond supports a flat 22% income tax, Keskerakond and SDE propose a progressive income tax, and Parempoolsed proposes cutting it to 18%.
• Car tax: EKRE, Keskerakond and Isamaa propose abolishing it.
• Energy: EKRE wants a return to oil-shale electricity and Keskerakond wants to keep it; SDE supports a wind-based energy transition with no new oil-shale plants, and Parempoolsed supports building a nuclear power plant.
• Schooling: Reformierakond, EKRE, Eesti 200 and Isamaa support Estonian-only schooling and SDE a single Estonian-language school system; Keskerakond wants the transition to keep mother-tongue teaching.
• Marriage: Eesti 200 and SDE support marriage equality; Isamaa wants the Constitution to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

Why each party sits where it does on the compass is explained statement by statement in "Who is left and who is right in Estonia, and why".

How to compare the parties

Every position of each party on the test statements, with its source, is on the party's page, and all seven parties side by side are in the party comparison table. The election timetable, ways to vote and how seats are allocated are in the Riigikogu election guide.

To find out which party is closest to your own views, take the test. The result compares your answers with the same positions used to calculate the matches and the compass on this page.