What does Eesti Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond propose?

People who earn more should pay a higher rate of income tax.

Reasoning: Its principles back a proportional income tax, but in 2025 it wanted to keep the tapering tax-free allowance (the 'tax hump'), under which higher earners pay a relatively larger share.

Source: ERR, 22.01.2025: Opositsioon toetab kaitsekulude tõstmist, kuid näeb küsimust selle katmises, 22/01/2025.

VAT on food should be cut, even if the state collects less money.

Reasoning: In 2026 its parliamentary group tabled a bill to cut VAT on food from 24% to 9%; its 2023 manifesto proposed cutting it to 5%.

Source: EKRE fraktsiooni eelnõu 1011 SE (käibemaksuseaduse muutmine) seletuskiri, 14.09.2026, 14/09/2026.

The annual car tax should be abolished.

Reasoning: In 2025 its parliamentary group tabled a bill to repeal the motor vehicle tax, and its 2025 municipal manifesto says the car tax must be scrapped.

Source: EKRE fraktsiooni eelnõu 592 SE «Mootorsõidukimaksu seaduse kehtetuks tunnistamise seadus» ja seletuskiri, 12.03.2025, 12/03/2025.

A tax on expensive property should be introduced so that taxes on work can be lowered.

Reasoning: Its 2025 municipal manifesto promises to cut land tax and stresses that the party has always stood for low taxes; it does not propose taxing property.

Source: EKRE kohalike omavalitsuste valimiste programm 2025 «Muidugi EKRE!», 24/08/2025.

The standard VAT rate should be brought back down from 24%, even if public spending has to be cut.

Reasoning: In 2025 its parliamentary group tabled bills to cut the standard VAT rate and repeal the security tax that raised it to 24%; it says economic growth would make up the lost revenue.

Source: EKRE fraktsiooni eelnõu 596 SE (käibemaksuseaduse muutmine) seletuskiri, 12.03.2025, 12/03/2025.

To reduce the budget deficit, public spending should be cut rather than taxes raised.

Reasoning: It wants to repeal the security tax, which it says has been used to cover the deficit, and proposes taking money away from Rail Baltica; it relies more on growth than on cuts.

Source: EKRE fraktsiooni eelnõu 595 SE «Julgeolekumaksu seaduse kehtetuks tunnistamise seadus» ja seletuskiri, 12.03.2025, 12/03/2025.

Pensions should rise faster, even if taxes have to go up to pay for it.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto promises to raise the average pension to €1,200 within four years plus a 13th pension, but the party opposes tax rises and proposes cutting taxes.

Source: EKRE 2023. aasta Riigikogu valimiste programm «Päästame Eesti!», ptk I, 28/01/2023.

Families with three or more children should receive much larger benefits than families with one or two children.

Reasoning: In 2026 it proposed raising child benefit to €300, the same for every child regardless of birth order; in 2022 it had backed the big increase for large families.

Source: EKRE fraktsiooni eelnõu 1039 SE (perehüvitiste seaduse muutmine) seletuskiri, 30.09.2026, 30/09/2026.

Healthcare should rely more on people's own responsibility, for example through higher patient co-payments.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto promises free basic dental care once a year and short waiting lists; its principles proposed replacing the Health Insurance Fund with compulsory insurance from a provider of one's choice.

Source: EKRE 2023. aasta Riigikogu valimiste programm «Päästame Eesti!», ptk IV, 28/01/2023.

University education should be free for all students.

Reasoning: Its principles guarantee access to university regardless of wealth through grants and tuition loans partly written off by the state; they do not call for free university for everyone.

Source: EKRE põhiprogramm «Konservatiivne programm», lk 5, 19/07/2015.

Estonia should keep defence spending at 5% of GDP or more, even if that means cuts in other areas.

Reasoning: In 2025 its leader said raising defence spending to 5% of GDP is unrealistic in the current economic situation, and the party proposed repealing the security tax introduced to fund defence.

Source: ERR News, 13.02.2025: EKRE leader: Estonia should not send peacekeepers to Ukraine, 13/02/2025.

Estonia should keep giving Ukraine military aid worth at least 0.25% of GDP every year.

Reasoning: In 2024 its leader proposed halving the money given to Ukraine, and in 2025 he complained that nothing was gained in return for weapons and money; he says the party does support Ukraine.

Source: ERR, 16.06.2024: Fotod: EKRE liikmed valisid Martin Helme taas esimeheks, 16/06/2024.

Women should also do compulsory military service.

Frozen Russian assets should be used to fund Ukraine.

Reasoning: In 2024 none of its MPs voted for the law allowing frozen Russian assets to be used to compensate Ukraine: two voted against and the rest did not vote.

Source: Riigikogu hääletus 332 SE (rahvusvahelise sanktsiooni seaduse muutmine), lõpphääletus 15.05.2024, 15/05/2024.

The EU should hand powers back to member states rather than take on new ones.

Reasoning: Its 2024 European election manifesto wants a union of nation states rather than a federal state, with tax and migration policy left to each country, and rejects concentrating power in Brussels.

Source: EKRE Euroopa Parlamendi valimiste programm 2024 «Eesti eest Euroopas!», 23/03/2024.

The EU should be able to take foreign policy decisions by majority vote, without needing unanimity.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto opposes abolishing member states' right of veto in EU foreign policy and other areas.

Source: EKRE 2023. aasta Riigikogu valimiste programm «Päästame Eesti!», ptk VI, 28/01/2023.

Estonia should make it easier to hire workers from outside the EU when companies cannot find staff.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto promises to end the import of cheap foreign labour, and in 2026 its council said the only immigration Estonia needs is Estonians returning home.

Source: ERR, 14.03.2026: EKRE volikogu keskendus riigikogu valimistele, 14/03/2026.

The annual immigration quota should not be increased.

Reasoning: Its 2023 population programme wants an immigration quota of 0.1% of the population with almost all exceptions removed; according to ERR, its leader called for a zero quota in 2024.

Source: EKRE rahvastikuprogramm 2023 «Päästame Eesti rahvusriigi!», ptk IV, 10/01/2023.

All schooling should switch to Estonian by 2030, including in schools where most pupils speak Russian.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto wants schools switched to Estonian-language teaching and universities to teach in Estonian again; in 2025 the party demanded that Estonian prevail everywhere.

Source: EKRE 2023. aasta Riigikogu valimiste programm «Päästame Eesti!», ptk III, 28/01/2023.

It should be easier for people who have lived in Estonia since before 1991 to obtain Estonian citizenship.

Reasoning: In 2026 its MPs voted to reject the bill granting citizenship to stateless children born in Estonia; its principles treat stateless residents as Russian citizens.

Source: Riigikogu hääletus 932 SE (kodakondsuse seaduse muutmine), esimese lugemise tagasilükkamine 15.09.2026, 15/09/2026.

People who work with customers should be required to speak Estonian, with higher fines if they do not.

Reasoning: In 2023 its parliamentary group tabled a bill sharply raising fines for breaching the Language Act, including for firms that do not require staff to know Estonian; it wants Estonian everywhere.

Source: EKRE fraktsiooni eelnõu 1 SE (keeleseaduse muutmine) seletuskiri, 11.04.2023, 11/04/2023.

Churches in Estonia should be required to cut their ties with the Moscow Patriarchate.

Reasoning: In 2025 its MPs voted against the church law reform requiring ties with the Moscow Patriarchate to be cut; its leader said it violates freedom of religion.

Source: ERR, 09.04.2025: Martin Helme: kirikute ja koguduste uus seadus on vastuolus usuvabadusega, 09/04/2025.

Estonian citizens should be allowed to also hold the citizenship of another EU or NATO country.

Reasoning: Its principles provide for revoking citizenship from those naturalised without giving up their previous one; no stance was found on Estonians by birth.

Source: EKRE põhiprogramm «Konservatiivne programm», lk 1, 19/07/2015.

Estonia should build a nuclear power plant.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto wants to start preparing for nuclear power and its 2024 European manifesto to promote it; in 2026 three of its MPs voted for the nuclear energy law and none against.

Source: EKRE Euroopa Parlamendi valimiste programm 2024 «Eesti eest Euroopas!», 23/03/2024.

Estonia should keep producing electricity from oil shale in the long term.

Reasoning: In 2026 its council called for oil shale power plants to run at full capacity again and for the CO2 charge to be scrapped; its 2024 European manifesto calls for protecting the oil shale industry.

Source: ERR, 14.03.2026: EKRE volikogu keskendus riigikogu valimistele, 14/03/2026.

Estonia should pass a climate law with binding targets for cutting emissions.

Reasoning: Its 2024 European manifesto calls the EU green transition ideological extremism and rejects compulsory measures to reach carbon neutrality; in 2026 its MPs voted to reject the climate law.

Source: EKRE Euroopa Parlamendi valimiste programm 2024 «Eesti eest Euroopas!», 23/03/2024.

More wind farms should be built on land, even if local residents oppose them.

Reasoning: Its 2025 municipal manifesto promises no wind turbines or solar parks in municipalities it runs, and in 2025 it proposed suspending all wind farm planning procedures.

Source: EKRE kohalike omavalitsuste valimiste programm 2025 «Muidugi EKRE!», 24/08/2025.

The amount of forest felled in Estonia each year should be reduced.

Reasoning: Its principles propose taxing overuse of renewable resources such as excessive felling, but its former environment minister Rene Kokk maintained that felling does not significantly exceed forest growth.

Source: EKRE põhiprogramm «Konservatiivne programm», lk 9, 19/07/2015.

The Constitution should define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Reasoning: After same-sex marriage was legalised, it proposed a referendum on defining marriage in 2023; in 2017 it backed defining marriage in the Constitution as the union of a man and a woman.

Source: EKRE fraktsiooni eelnõu 261 OE (referendum abielu mõiste määratlemiseks) seletuskiri, 11.09.2023, 11/09/2023.

Access to abortion in Estonia should be restricted.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto wants to reduce abortions without medical grounds and stop funding them with taxpayers' health money; its principles say it does not support abortion.

Source: EKRE 2023. aasta Riigikogu valimiste programm «Päästame Eesti!», ptk IV, 28/01/2023.

Tougher punishments reduce crime more than prevention and rehabilitation do.

Reasoning: Its principles call for zero tolerance of crime, fewer suspended sentences and even the death penalty for the gravest crimes, though they also mention prevention and rehabilitation.

Source: EKRE põhiprogramm «Konservatiivne programm», lk 13, 19/07/2015.

Euthanasia should be allowed for terminally ill people who ask for it.

Inciting hatred against a group of people should be punished more severely.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto opposes broadening the concept of hate speech and restricting free speech; in 2023 it filed hundreds of amendments to the hate speech bill together with Isamaa.

Source: EKRE 2023. aasta Riigikogu valimiste programm «Päästame Eesti!», ptk VI, 28/01/2023.

Internet voting should be kept in elections.

Reasoning: In November 2025 its council demanded that internet voting be abolished as unreliable; in 2023 its parliamentary group had already tabled a bill to end it.

Source: ERR, 02.11.2025: EKRE soovib volikogu avaldusega e-valimiste kaotamist, 02/11/2025.

The President of the Republic should be elected directly by the citizens.

Reasoning: In 2026 all nine of its MPs, together with Centre Party members, signed a constitutional amendment for direct presidential elections; its 2023 manifesto already proposed this.

Source: Riigikogu liikmete eelnõu 872 SE «Eesti Vabariigi põhiseaduse muutmise seadus Vabariigi Presidendi valimiskorra muutmiseks», 07.04.2026, 07/04/2026.

Citizens should be able to trigger a binding referendum by collecting signatures.

Reasoning: Its 2023 manifesto wants to give citizens the right to initiate binding bills and referendums; its principles set 25,000 signatures as enough to force a referendum.

Source: EKRE 2023. aasta Riigikogu valimiste programm «Päästame Eesti!», ptk VI, 28/01/2023.

The state should keep small village schools open even if they have few pupils.

Reasoning: Its 2025 municipal manifesto promises to keep schools close to home and says the party has prevented small-school closures; in 2024 it proposed more funding for small schools.

Source: EKRE kohalike omavalitsuste valimiste programm 2025 «Muidugi EKRE!», 24/08/2025.

Public transport should be free throughout Estonia.

Reasoning: It does not call for free public transport for everyone, but in 2026 it criticised charging pensioners and pupils on county buses and wants public transport that works.

Source: ERR, 13.01.2026: Kruuse: vaatamata heale tahtele, jooksis Terras reformi teatud etappidest ette, 13/01/2026.