Estonian Reform Party
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Leadership | Andrus Ansip |
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| Founded | 1994 |
| Political Ideology | Classical liberalism, Free-market liberalism |
| International Affiliation | Liberal International |
| European Affiliation | European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party |
| Euro. Parliament Group | ALDE |
| Colours | Blue and Yellow |
| Headquarters | Tõnismägi 9 Tallinn 10119 |
| Website | www.reform.ee |
| Politics of Estonia Political parties in Estonia Elections in Estonia |
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The Estonian Reform Party (Estonian: Eesti Reformierakond) is a centre-right, free market liberal party in Estonia. The party has been a full member of Liberal International since 1996, having been an observer member between 1994-1996, and a full member of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party.
It is led by Andrus Ansip, and after the 2007 parliamentary election holds 31 out of 101 seats in the Riigikogu, after receiving 153,040 votes (27.8% of the total), an increase of +10.1%, resulting in a net gain of 12 seats. The party has been in a coalition government several times: from 1995 to 1997 with the now defunct Estonian Coalition Party, from March, 1999 to December, 2001 in a tripartite government with Pro Patria Union and People's Party Moderates, from January, 2002 to March, 2003 with the Estonian Centre Party, and from March 2003 to March, 2005 with Res Publica and People's Union. Ansip has been prime minister of Estonia since April, 2005, and several other cabinet members, including Urmas Paet, are members of the party. Since the mid-1990s, the Reform Party has participated in most of the government coalitions in Estonia, so its influence in politics has been great, especially regarding Estonia's Free market and low taxes policies.
[edit] Ideological orientation and issues
Ideologically, the Reform Party is representative of the Free-market liberalism and libertarian thinking of economists Friedrich von Hayek and Milton Friedman. The Reform Party is the most economically liberal in the political landscape of Estonia.
- The party supports Estonian 0% corporate tax on re-invested income and wants to eliminate the dividend tax.
- The party wants to cut flat income tax rate from 22% (in 2007) to 18% by 2011
- The party opposes VAT general rate increase (current VAT rate is 18%)
- The party wants to end conscription and to introduce a voluntary army
- In recent years the party has moved to embrace a more socially conservative platform, not unlike the one of the U.S. Republican Party
[edit] See also
- Liberalism
- Libertarianism
- Contributions to liberal theory
- Liberalism worldwide
- Liberal parties
- Libertarian parties
- Liberal democracy
- Liberalism in Estonia
[edit] External links
- Reform Party official site (Estonian)
- Estonian Reform Party faction description of the party on the Riigikogu website (English)
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