Chairman of the Central Party, Jüri Ratas, said on Tuesday that although the extraordinary congress makes it difficult to start meaningful work in the Riigikogu faction and regions, it is necessary for the party to move forward, which is why he proposes to add the convening of an extraordinary congress to the agenda of the April 15 council session.
Ratas pointed out that the party’s result in the elections has brought different assessments as to why the situation was like this and what changes need to be made. This was also discussed in the board.
“I believe that the party does not need to cut its roots and make drastic changes after 16 mandates. However, the program needs to be renewed, the competence further increased and the focus directed not only to the social field and health care, but also to environmental and economic issues and issues concerning education, young people and their concerns,” Ratas pointed out.
“Of course, our main strength is the socio-economic axis – reducing inequality, supporting the elderly and a strong regional policy, all of which must remain. The development of Estonia as a whole is important.”
Ratas said that the party has certainly made mistakes, they must be looked at and solutions must be found together. At the same time, it is also necessary to understand the situation in which the Center Party achieved the third result in the elections.
“It is clear that the background of security in the background of Russian aggression was fundamental in the elections. In its messages, principles and values, the Center Party clearly confirmed the positions of Estonia and Europe and emphasized the importance of helping Ukraine, and this was the only right way,” said Ratas.
However, according to Ratas, the opposition of the two parties left the Center Party in a situation where its messages did not sound enough next to “cockboxing”. The party’s financial capacity for campaigning was 2-3 times smaller than others, which also set limits. However, the result was one mandate less than EKRE, and it is possible to clearly rise and move forward from here,” he found.
“The extraordinary congress makes it difficult to start substantive work in the Riigikogu faction and the regions, but to move forward together, a clear mandate is needed for the chairman and board of the party,” he added.
Ratas proposes to the board of the political party’s council to add an extraordinary congress to the agenda of the council session. According to the party’s statutes, an extraordinary congress can be convened either by the party’s council or by 1/3 of the members. The regular congress of the Center Party should have taken place next year. In addition to the chairman, a 14-member board and the chairman of the court of honor and the revision committee are elected at the congress.
The mayor of Tallinn and the vice-chairman of the Center Party, Mihhail Kõlvart, said in “Vikerhommikus” that he will run for the chairmanship of the party at the extraordinary Congress of the Center Party. According to Kõvart, running for office does not take over the party.
“Times are always difficult, especially in recent years. And in order to move forward vigorously, this congress must be organized. And if it seems to someone that this is such a small crisis, then in order to avoid bigger crises in the organization in the future, it has to be survived,” said Kõlvart.
