Party comparison
EKRE vs Parempoolsed: how alike are they?
We compare the documented positions of Eesti Konservatiivne Rahvaerakond and Erakond Parempoolsed on the 38 questions in the test, issue by issue.
In brief
How do EKRE and Parempoolsed differ?
EKRE and Parempoolsed agree on some economic and language questions: both fully support switching all schooling to Estonian by 2030 and fully oppose a tax on expensive property, a climate law with binding targets and harsher penalties for inciting hatred. They are furthest apart on democracy and Europe: EKRE fully supports electing the president directly and binding referendums triggered by citizens and opposes keeping internet voting, and Parempoolsed takes the opposite view on all three; Parempoolsed fully supports EU foreign policy decisions by majority vote, which EKRE fully opposes. EKRE also fully supports restricting access to abortion and keeping small village schools open, while Parempoolsed supports healthcare relying more on people’s own responsibility and easier hiring of workers from outside the EU, which EKRE rejects.
This summary is based on the parties’ documented positions on the test statements; the source of each position is on the party’s page. Updated 17/10/2026.
Differences
Where they clash most
Europe and foreign affairs
The EU should be able to take foreign policy decisions by majority vote, without needing unanimity.
Values and society
Access to abortion in Estonia should be restricted.
Government and democracy
Internet voting should be kept in elections.
Government and democracy
The President of the Republic should be elected directly by the citizens.
Government and democracy
Citizens should be able to trigger a binding referendum by collecting signatures.
Economy and taxes
VAT on food should be cut, even if the state collects less money.
Common ground
Where they agree
Economy and taxes
A tax on expensive property should be introduced so that taxes on work can be lowered.
Both: Strongly against
Language and integration
All schooling should switch to Estonian by 2030, including in schools where most pupils speak Russian.
Both: Strongly in favour
Energy and environment
Estonia should pass a climate law with binding targets for cutting emissions.
Both: Strongly against
Values and society
Inciting hatred against a group of people should be punished more severely.
Both: Strongly against
By issue
Agreement by issue
Detail
Question by question
Economy and taxes 71 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| People who earn more should pay a higher rate of income tax. | Against | Strongly against |
| VAT on food should be cut, even if the state collects less money. | Strongly in favour | Against |
| The annual car tax should be abolished. | Strongly in favour | In favour |
| A tax on expensive property should be introduced so that taxes on work can be lowered. | Strongly against | Strongly against |
| The standard VAT rate should be brought back down from 24%, even if public spending has to be cut. | In favour | Strongly in favour |
| To reduce the budget deficit, public spending should be cut rather than taxes raised. | In favour | Strongly in favour |
Pensions, family and welfare 44 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| Pensions should rise faster, even if taxes have to go up to pay for it. | In between | Strongly against |
| Families with three or more children should receive much larger benefits than families with one or two children. | In between | Strongly against |
| Healthcare should rely more on people's own responsibility, for example through higher patient co-payments. | Against | Strongly in favour |
| University education should be free for all students. | In between | Strongly against |
Defence and security 38 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| Estonia should keep defence spending at 5% of GDP or more, even if that means cuts in other areas. | Against | Strongly in favour |
| Estonia should keep giving Ukraine military aid worth at least 0.25% of GDP every year. | Against | In favour |
| Women should also do compulsory military service. | Against | Strongly in favour |
| Frozen Russian assets should be used to fund Ukraine. | Against | In favour |
Europe and foreign affairs 38 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| The EU should hand powers back to member states rather than take on new ones. | Strongly in favour | In favour |
| The EU should be able to take foreign policy decisions by majority vote, without needing unanimity. | Strongly against | Strongly in favour |
Migration 25 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| Estonia should make it easier to hire workers from outside the EU when companies cannot find staff. | Strongly against | In favour |
| The annual immigration quota should not be increased. | Strongly in favour | Against |
Language and integration 65 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| All schooling should switch to Estonian by 2030, including in schools where most pupils speak Russian. | Strongly in favour | Strongly in favour |
| It should be easier for people who have lived in Estonia since before 1991 to obtain Estonian citizenship. | Strongly against | Against |
| People who work with customers should be required to speak Estonian, with higher fines if they do not. | Strongly in favour | In favour |
| Churches in Estonia should be required to cut their ties with the Moscow Patriarchate. | Strongly against | In favour |
| Estonian citizens should be allowed to also hold the citizenship of another EU or NATO country. | Against | In favour |
Energy and environment 65 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| Estonia should build a nuclear power plant. | In favour | Strongly in favour |
| Estonia should keep producing electricity from oil shale in the long term. | Strongly in favour | In between |
| Estonia should pass a climate law with binding targets for cutting emissions. | Strongly against | Strongly against |
| More wind farms should be built on land, even if local residents oppose them. | Strongly against | In favour |
| The amount of forest felled in Estonia each year should be reduced. | In between | Against |
Values and society 55 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| The Constitution should define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. | Strongly in favour | Against |
| Access to abortion in Estonia should be restricted. | Strongly in favour | Strongly against |
| Tougher punishments reduce crime more than prevention and rehabilitation do. | In favour | In between |
| Euthanasia should be allowed for terminally ill people who ask for it. | Against | In between |
| Inciting hatred against a group of people should be punished more severely. | Strongly against | Strongly against |
Government and democracy 0 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| Internet voting should be kept in elections. | Strongly against | Strongly in favour |
| The President of the Republic should be elected directly by the citizens. | Strongly in favour | Strongly against |
| Citizens should be able to trigger a binding referendum by collecting signatures. | Strongly in favour | Strongly against |
Regions and rural life 38 %
| Question | EKRE | Parempoolsed |
|---|---|---|
| The state should keep small village schools open even if they have few pupils. | Strongly in favour | Against |
| Public transport should be free throughout Estonia. | In between | Strongly against |
What about you? Which of the two do you agree with more?
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