Underdog candidate not discouraged

TALLINN - Estonian Center Party’s presidential candidate Indrek Tarand is not discouraged by the fact that three parliament parties have promised to give their votes in the upcoming presidential elections to Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and he says he does not consider his chances as “non-existent,” reports National Broadcasting.

“On the surface, there is no chance since 75 votes are enough to get the president elected. At the same time, when we recall that my aim is to give every MP a sense of freedom, the chance is not non-existent,” Tarand said in an interview to Kuku radio.
“I claim it since the first reactions that emerged after I decided to run showed that even the most hardened party managers cannot be certain till the end of the ability of their lambs to be silent, and they fear that there will be a burst sometime, somewhere,” he explained.

Tarand reiterated that an MP is not pledged by oath to his party, but to the Estonian Republic.
He expressed gladness that, thanks to him, the presidential election won’t have just one candidate and that his decision to compete has unleashed “interesting processes” inside the Center Party and Pro Patria and Res Publica party. “One of my aims is to reduce the atmosphere of mistrust and fear that, unfortunately, has emerged in the stale management styles of parties.”

The candidate hinted that he hopes for the support of Social Democrats most.