Estonian PM reaches coalition deal for majority government

By JARI TANNER
Associated Press

HELSINKI (AP) — Estonia’s governing center-right Reform Party has reached a tentative deal to form a coalition government with two other parties. The new government will be led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. The deal ends a month-long political stalemate in the Baltic nation of 1.3 million people. Kallas, the leader of the European Union and NATO nation since January 2021, kicked out the left-leaning Center Party from the governing two-party coalition on June 3 following disputes over spending and welfare policy. The Reform Party says it has struck a coalition deal with the opposition Social Democrats and the small conservative Fatherland party. The three parties have a comfortable 56-seat majority at the 101-seat legislature.