Jordan's King calls Crown Prince; welcomes Saudi stance on rights of Palestinians    Takamol Holding to showcase advanced technology solutions and services at LEAP 2025    MoH summons person for spreading misinformation that ginger causes strokes    GEA hosts mass wedding of 300 couples at "Night of a Lifetime" celebration during Riyadh Season 300 cars and housing as gifts for the newlyweds    Makkah deputy emir inaugurates 179 educational projects in Makkah and Jeddah    7 Saudi hospitals advance in Brand Finance's 2025 rankings    Food Culture Festival kicks off in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter    Saudi Arabia to present 'The Um Slaim School: An Architecture of Connection' at Biennale Architettura 2025 Syn Architects explore Riyadh's architectural heritage, fostering new pedagogical approaches and global dialogue    Al Hilal reclaims top spot in AFC Champions League Elite with 4-1 win over Persepolis    USAID employees around the world will be placed on leave Friday and ordered to return to US    Billionaire philanthropist Aga Khan dies    At least ten people killed in Swedish school shooting, authorities say    Trump says US will 'take over' Gaza Strip and doesn't rule out using American troops    Royal Decree Enhances Integrity and Recovers Public Funds    SRMG Think hosts high-level discussion on IMF's latest GCC economic report in Riyadh    Trump: US aims to catch up Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund    PetroRent signing ceremony marks innovative collaboration between Petromin and Transregions to transform car rental and leasing services    Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Al Nassr thrashes Al Wasl 4-0 in AFC Champions League Elite    Al Ahli extends unbeaten run with 3-1 comeback win over Al Sadd in AFC Champions League Elite    Grammy Awards 2025: Beyoncé wins best country album    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Estonia's ruling pro-Western Reform Party wins election
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 03 - 03 - 2015

TALLINN — Estonia's ruling Reform Party has emerged as the overall winner in the Baltic country's general election dominated by economic issues and security concerns over Russia's actions in Ukraine.

With all votes counted, Prime Minister Taavi Roivas declared victory early Monday. Polls had predicted a close race between the governing center-right coalition and the opposition Center Party, favored by ethnic Russians.

Roivas' pro-Western, liberal party won 28 percent of the votes to take 30 seats, three seats less than in the previous election but five more than the main opposition centrists.

The ruling coalition now holds 45 seats in the 101-seat Parliament, down from 52 after the previous election in 2011, meaning reforms in the government composition are expected although mainstream policies likely will remain the same.

Even though Estonia is a NATO member, many are worried that Moscow will try to increase its influence in the former Soviet republic, where one-fourth of its 1.3 million residents are ethnic Russians. All main political parties strongly support defense spending and a continuation of the NATO presence in Estonia, which together with neighbors Latvia and Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union for nearly five decades.

“I think NATO's pledge to defend Estonia doesn't mean anything. We're located in a buffer zone and NATO just reacts too slowly,” said Ivari Manni, a 51-year-old designer who voted at a Tallinn shopping center.
“Estonia should adopt a Swiss-style home army model, where guns are kept at home.”

The main electoral differences focused on economic questions, including tax reforms. Estonia has continued to show strong growth even as many of its European partners are struggling.

All wage earners pay a flat 20 percent income tax, which opposition centrists want to change to a progressive tax system — a move supported by the minority government partner, the Social Democrats.

The Reform Party is opposed to abolishing the current tax system, focusing instead on job creation to improve the economy of Estonia, a member of the eurozone since 2011.

Preliminary results showed a 63.7 percent turnout in the electorate of almost 1 million, up from 63.5 in 2011.

Some 176,000 votes were cast electronically, setting a record in the country, which pioneered online voting in 2005. — AP


Clic here to read the story from its source.