Party comparison

Reformierakond vs Parempoolsed: how alike are they?

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

Reformierakond

Liberalism, centre-right

74 %

overall agreement

Parempoolsed

Economic liberalism, centre-right

In brief

How do Reformierakond and Parempoolsed differ?

Reformierakond and Parempoolsed are close on immigration, language and internet voting: both support making it easier to hire workers from outside the EU and disagree that the annual immigration quota should not be increased, both fully support switching all schooling to Estonian by 2030 and keeping internet voting, and both fully oppose a higher income tax rate for people who earn more. The clearest difference is VAT: Parempoolsed fully supports bringing the standard rate back down from 24% even if spending has to be cut, and Reformierakond fully opposes it. Parempoolsed also supports abolishing the car tax and compulsory military service for women, while Reformierakond supports a climate law with binding targets and harsher penalties for inciting hatred, which Parempoolsed firmly 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

Economy and taxes

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

Reformierakond Strongly against

Its 2025 coalition agreement sets VAT at 24% to fund defence, and the government it leads made that temporary rise permanent. It does not propose lowering it.

Parempoolsed Strongly in favour

It proposes cutting the standard VAT rate from 24% to 20% within one parliamentary term, paid for by freezing public spending at 2026 levels and cutting the public sector.

Economy and taxes

The annual car tax should be abolished.

Reformierakond Strongly against

It opposes scrapping the car tax: it calculates that the annual tax and the registration fee will bring in €169 million in 2027 and that abolishing them would widen the deficit.

Parempoolsed In favour

It wants to scrap the car tax, but its July 2026 fiscal plan only removes the registration fee in 2027 and sets no date for abolishing the annual tax.

Defence and security

Women should also do compulsory military service.

Reformierakond Against

Its coalition agreement encourages women to do military service voluntarily and studies how to raise their share in the Defence Forces; it does not propose making it compulsory.

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.

Energy and environment

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

Reformierakond In favour

Its coalition agreement promises to write Estonia's climate targets into law through a climate-resilient economy act, and in 2026 its chairman urged the Riigikogu to pass it.

Parempoolsed Strongly against

It wants the climate law not to be passed, the Climate Ministry closed and EU climate targets renegotiated; in 2026 it proposes repealing the statutory renewable-energy targets.

Values and society

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

Reformierakond In favour

Its 2023 manifesto pledges, in line with the Constitution, to punish incitement to hatred without requiring harm to result; the 2025 coalition agreement no longer mentions it.

Parempoolsed Strongly against

It opposes further hate-speech rules: it says hate speech is already a crime and needs no extra regulation, and political debate must not be criminalised; it does want tougher penalties for defamation.

Common ground

Where they agree

Economy and taxes

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

Both: Strongly against

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

Migration

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

Both: In favour

Migration

The annual immigration quota should not be increased.

Both: Against

Language and integration

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

Both: Strongly in favour

Language and integration

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

Both: Against

By issue

Agreement by issue

Economy and taxes 58 %

Pensions, family and welfare 69 %

Defence and security 69 %

Europe and foreign affairs 63 %

Migration 100 %

Language and integration 95 %

Energy and environment 70 %

Values and society 75 %

Government and democracy 83 %

Regions and rural life 75 %

Detail

Question by question

Economy and taxes 58 %

Question	Reformierakond	Parempoolsed
People who earn more should pay a higher rate of income tax.	Strongly against	Strongly against
VAT on food should be cut, even if the state collects less money.	Strongly against	Against
The annual car tax should be abolished.	Strongly against	In favour
A tax on expensive property should be introduced so that taxes on work can be lowered.	Against	Strongly against
The standard VAT rate should be brought back down from 24%, even if public spending has to be cut.	Strongly against	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 69 %

Question	Reformierakond	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.	Against	Strongly against
Healthcare should rely more on people's own responsibility, for example through higher patient co-payments.	In favour	Strongly in favour
University education should be free for all students.	In between	Strongly against

Defence and security 69 %

Question	Reformierakond	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 63 %

Question	Reformierakond	Parempoolsed
The EU should hand powers back to member states rather than take on new ones.	Against	In favour
The EU should be able to take foreign policy decisions by majority vote, without needing unanimity.	In favour	Strongly in favour

Migration 100 %

Question	Reformierakond	Parempoolsed
Estonia should make it easier to hire workers from outside the EU when companies cannot find staff.	In favour	In favour
The annual immigration quota should not be increased.	Against	Against

Language and integration 95 %

Question	Reformierakond	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.	Against	Against
People who work with customers should be required to speak Estonian, with higher fines if they do not.	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.	In favour	In favour

Energy and environment 70 %

Question	Reformierakond	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.	Against	In between
Estonia should pass a climate law with binding targets for cutting emissions.	In favour	Strongly against
More wind farms should be built on land, even if local residents oppose them.	In favour	In favour
The amount of forest felled in Estonia each year should be reduced.	In between	Against

Values and society 75 %

Question	Reformierakond	Parempoolsed
The Constitution should define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.	Strongly against	Against
Access to abortion in Estonia should be restricted.	Strongly against	Strongly against
Tougher punishments reduce crime more than prevention and rehabilitation do.	Against	In between
Euthanasia should be allowed for terminally ill people who ask for it.	In between	In between
Inciting hatred against a group of people should be punished more severely.	In favour	Strongly against

Government and democracy 83 %

Question	Reformierakond	Parempoolsed
Internet voting should be kept in elections.	Strongly 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.	Against	Strongly against

Regions and rural life 75 %

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

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