EKRE's Mart Helme blames policy theft for party's slumping poll numbers
EKRE leader Mart Helme has spoken out about his party's current struggles in the polls. He argues that other political groups have adopted their long-standing policies, making it harder for voters to see the difference. Despite this, the party remains focused on joining the next government.
EKRE was once seen as a fringe right-wing party when it formed in 2012. Over time, it moved into the mainstream, becoming a coalition partner between 2019 and 2023. During that period, its influence shaped stricter immigration laws, higher defence spending proposals, and tighter gender recognition rules. The party also pushed for anti-EU regulatory changes under previous governments before Kaja Kallas took office.
Helme now claims that EKRE's low poll numbers stem from rival parties copying their ideas. He insists that their original policies—especially on energy, family support, and immigration—remain stronger than the versions others have proposed. One key EKRE proposal includes income tax breaks for families with children to encourage higher birth rates. The party leader also criticised the Reform Party's recent tax reduction plan, calling it weaker than EKRE's own earlier suggestions. While acknowledging Isamaa's potential to win the upcoming Riigikogu elections, he dismissed current polls as unreliable for predicting final results. Helme pointed to Isamaa's past recovery from low ratings as a lesson for EKRE's own strategy. Looking ahead, EKRE aims to secure a place in the next government. Helme believes his party can learn from past coalitions involving Isamaa, adapting their approach to regain voter trust.
EKRE continues to push its decade-old policy agenda despite current challenges. The party's focus remains on tax incentives for families, stricter immigration controls, and defence spending. Whether these efforts will translate into electoral success will become clearer as the campaign progresses.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
