Party comparison

Isamaa vs Parempoolsed: how alike are they?

We compare the documented positions of Isamaa Erakond and Erakond Parempoolsed on the 38 questions in the test, issue by issue.

Isamaa

National conservatism, Christian democracy

64 %

overall agreement

Parempoolsed

Economic liberalism, centre-right

In brief

How do Isamaa and Parempoolsed differ?

Parempoolsed was founded in 2022 by former members of Isamaa, and the two parties remain close on the economy: both fully support reducing the budget deficit by cutting spending rather than raising taxes and defence spending of at least 5% of GDP, and both fully oppose a tax on expensive property, a climate law with binding targets and harsher penalties for inciting hatred. They part ways on family policy, Europe, immigration and values. Isamaa fully supports much larger benefits for families with three or more children, which Parempoolsed fully opposes, and Parempoolsed fully supports EU foreign policy decisions by majority vote, which Isamaa fully opposes. Isamaa also supports free university education and defining marriage in the Constitution and does not want the immigration quota raised, while Parempoolsed supports more onshore wind farms and easier hiring of workers from outside the EU.

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

Pensions, family and welfare

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

Isamaa Strongly in favour

In 2023 it protested against cuts to the large-family allowance, whose increase it had pushed in 2022, and in 2025 it criticised cuts to family benefits.

Parempoolsed Strongly against

It opposes much larger benefits for large families: its chair called them populist and inappropriate in 2026, and its 2023 manifesto says single parents rather than large families face the greater poverty risk.

Europe and foreign affairs

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

Isamaa Strongly against

Its 2024 European election manifesto backs keeping the unanimity principle in the EU so that smaller member states keep their voice in its institutions.

Parempoolsed Strongly in favour

In 2023 it backed majority voting in foreign policy and crisis response; it would keep unanimity only for changing the EU's founding principles or extending its powers.

Pensions, family and welfare

University education should be free for all students.

Isamaa In favour

In 2024 its leader backed free higher education in Estonian but said programmes taught in other languages should not be free.

Parempoolsed Strongly against

It opposes free university education: it would replace it with partial tuition fees plus reformed student loans and grants, and its chair says free higher education is unsustainable.

Defence and security

Women should also do compulsory military service.

Isamaa Against

Estimated position: no stated position was found; its principles base defence on compulsory conscription but do not propose extending it to women.

Parempoolsed Strongly in favour

It wants to extend compulsory military service to all citizens, including women; in 2026 its chair called for women's defence duty to be written into law.

Migration

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

Isamaa Strongly against

Its 2023 manifesto prefers Estonians returning home and inactive people re-entering work to foreign labour, and in 2025–2026 it criticised the easing of immigration rules.

Parempoolsed In favour

It wants to replace the immigration quota with a points system so firms can recruit the workers they need, but requires strict Estonian-language learning and would limit migration from some countries.

Migration

The annual immigration quota should not be increased.

Isamaa Strongly in favour

Its 2023 manifesto pledges not to raise the immigration quota (0.1% of the population), and in 2026 its parliamentary group leader criticised the increase made this term.

Parempoolsed Against

It wants to scrap the annual immigration quota, which it sees as a brake on the economy, and replace it with a points system; in 2024 it called for bringing in over 10,000 skilled workers a year.

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

Economy and taxes

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

Both: Strongly in favour

Defence and security

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

Both: Strongly in favour

Europe and foreign affairs

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

Both: In favour

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

By issue

Agreement by issue

Economy and taxes 79 %

Pensions, family and welfare 38 %

Defence and security 69 %

Europe and foreign affairs 50 %

Migration 25 %

Language and integration 70 %

Energy and environment 70 %

Values and society 70 %

Government and democracy 67 %

Regions and rural life 63 %

Detail

Question by question

Economy and taxes 79 %

Question	Isamaa	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.	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.	Strongly in favour	Strongly in favour

Pensions, family and welfare 38 %

Question	Isamaa	Parempoolsed
Pensions should rise faster, even if taxes have to go up to pay for it.	Against	Strongly against
Families with three or more children should receive much larger benefits than families with one or two children.	Strongly in favour	Strongly against
Healthcare should rely more on people's own responsibility, for example through higher patient co-payments.	In between	Strongly in favour
University education should be free for all students.	In favour	Strongly against

Defence and security 69 %

Question	Isamaa	Parempoolsed
Estonia should keep defence spending at 5% of GDP or more, even if that means cuts in other areas.	Strongly in favour	Strongly in favour
Estonia should keep giving Ukraine military aid worth at least 0.25% of GDP every year.	Strongly in favour	In favour
Women should also do compulsory military service.	Against	Strongly in favour
Frozen Russian assets should be used to fund Ukraine.	Strongly in favour	In favour

Europe and foreign affairs 50 %

Question	Isamaa	Parempoolsed
The EU should hand powers back to member states rather than take on new ones.	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	Isamaa	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 70 %

Question	Isamaa	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 in favour	In favour
Estonian citizens should be allowed to also hold the citizenship of another EU or NATO country.	Strongly against	In favour

Energy and environment 70 %

Question	Isamaa	Parempoolsed
Estonia should build a nuclear power plant.	In between	Strongly in favour
Estonia should keep producing electricity from oil shale in the long term.	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.	Against	Against

Values and society 70 %

Question	Isamaa	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.	In between	Strongly against
Tougher punishments reduce crime more than prevention and rehabilitation do.	In between	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 67 %

Question	Isamaa	Parempoolsed
Internet voting should be kept in elections.	In favour	Strongly in favour
The President of the Republic should be elected directly by the citizens.	Against	Strongly against
Citizens should be able to trigger a binding referendum by collecting signatures.	In between	Strongly against

Regions and rural life 63 %

Question	Isamaa	Parempoolsed
The state should keep small village schools open even if they have few pupils.	In favour	Against
Public transport should be free throughout Estonia.	Against	Strongly against

What about you? Which of the two do you agree with more?

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