TALLINN - A change in leadership has led to the resignation of four key Res Publica party members, including founding chairman Rein Taagepera.
Taagepera, his wife Mare, Jaan Einasto and Lauri Aaspollu, all asked to have their names deleted from the party member list on Sept. 5, citing the party's shift from center-right to far right as the reason.
"As centrists, we also care for those members of our nation who are not smart, healthy or rich," they said, adding that the party's gradual shift was against their social policy.
Res Publica's approach to an education- and knowledge-based economy was wavering, the group said, adding that recent methods of governance were not unlike those found in totalitarian societies.
Taagepera, an American-Estonian political scientist, had warned Res Publica against swaying too far toward the right on several occasions.
Siim Mannik, a media representative at Res Publica, said existing members would find more clarity within the party now that those with concerns have left. Finally Res Publica's internal ideological conflict could be resolved, he added.
After finishing second in the parliamentary poll in March 2003, Res Publica has seen its popularity plummet. Were elections to be held this month, the party might not even make the 5 percent barrier. Founding member and former Prime Minister Juhan Parts has one of the lowest approval ratings in the country at present.
The four members are not the first to have walked out Res Publica's door. MPs Tarmo Leinatamm and former Deputy Chairman Jaanus Rahumagi resigned recently. Rahumagi, who will join the Reform Party, said that although Res Publica played an important part in Estonia's history, it was no longer the party it once was.
He also claimed that Res Publica's leading politicians were moving in different directions.
"Res Publica has moved away from the principles and values it held sacred at the foundation of the party, as well as promises given to electors," Rahumagi said. "Instead of taking peaceful and level-headed action, time is wasted on senseless opposition and a search for the enemy."
Rahumagi's resignation will reduce Res Publica's parliamentary faction to 26 members.
Disagreements with Res Publica prompted the MP to demand the resignation of fellow member and Justice Minister Ken-Marti Vaher, who was also against forming a coalition with the Center Party in Tallinn.
Marko Pomerants, chairman of Res Publica, said that Rahumagi's resignation did not come as a surprise as they had spoken about it before.
Meanwhile, the Center Party has refused to apologize to Res Publica despite Mayor Tonis Palts' demand after defamatory articles were published against him in Centrist news sheets.
Both the Kesknadal and Pealinn publications ran stories claiming that Parts' opposition to Tallinn's naval port was corrupt.
The Centrist chairman of the City Council said he could see no reason for an apology but was ready to discuss the issue with Res Publica in the coalition council. However, the weekly meeting between the two parties has been postponed, apparently because of prior arrangements that had nothing to do with the disagreement.
Palts warned that current issues on the City Council agenda, such as endorsing details for a referendum on Internet voting and the continuation of free housing construction, would not be addressed until Res Publica gets an apology. o