Estonian Coalition Party
연립당 (에스토니아)
An Estonian centre-right liberal party founded by Tiit Vähi in 1991 and dissolved in 2002. It brought together mainly former urban nomenklatura and Soviet-era officials, won the 1995 general election in an alliance with rural parties and led the governing coalition of 1995–1999. After falling to seven seats in 1999 it was dissolved in 2002.
In depth
According to the Estonian source, the party’s leaders were Jaak Tamm, Tiit Vähi, Mart Siimann (1997–1999) and Andrus Öövel (1999–2000), and its last chairman was Märt Kubo. It professed personal freedom and personal responsibility, was considered a centre-right liberal party and was an observer member of Liberal International from 1998. The English source says it mostly united former urban nomenklatura and other Soviet-era officials and was closely allied with the more populist, centre-left Party of Rural People.
After the fall of Edgar Savisaar’s government, Vähi became prime minister and led the government from 30 January to 21 October 1992. In the 1992 election the Coalition Party and the Rural Union formed the Secure Home alliance and won 13.6% and 17 seats, but Pro Patria and its partners formed Mart Laar’s government and the party went into opposition. In August 1994 Vähi leaked information about the rouble sale to the press to hasten the fall of Laar’s government.
In the 1995 election the Coalition Party and Rural People’s Union alliance (KMÜ) won with 41 seats. Vähi’s government with the Centre Party lasted only seven months because of the tape scandal; he then formed a government with the Reform Party, which later left, leaving a minority government. After an apartment scandal Vähi resigned on 26 February 1997, and deputy chairman Mart Siimann took over the government on 17 March. In the 1999 election the party won only 7.6% and 7 seats, and it was dissolved in 2002.