Akhir 02, 1432 H/March 7, 2011, SPA -- The incumbent Reform party's victory in Estonia's parliamentary election at the weekend should produce a stable coalition government, but it might take time for likely partners to agree upon policy priorities, dpa quoted analysts as saying Monday. With all votes counted, Prime Minister Andrus Ansip's Reform party took the most seats in Sunday's poll, with 33 of the 101 available in the nationalparliament, known as the Riigikogu. That was a gain of two seats over the 2007 result. Reform's current coalition partner, IRL, gained four seats, making a total of 23. The opposition Centre party won 26 seats. The Social Democrats got 19 seats, nine more than in the previous election. The result paves the way for Ansip to continue in power with the support of IRL, an arrangement he told supporters was his preferred option, though he said negotiations would be tough. IRL leader Mart Laar signalled his readiness to continue in government, while echoing Ansip's line that negotiations might take some time. The outcome "seems like a strong endorsement for the governing coalition," University of Tartu political scientist Mikhel Solvak told the German Press Agency dpa. "The two ruling parties have a comfortable majority of six seats, so, most likely, they will be a very stable government for the next four years." Two smaller parties represented in the outgoing parliament failed to cross the 5-per-cent threshold required to win a mandate, leaving just four parties in parliament and making it possible for three of them to pick up seats.
