Estonian Reform Party
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Estonian Reform Party
Eesti Reformierakond |
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|---|---|
 |
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| Leader | Hanno Pevkur |
| Founded | 18 November 1994 |
| Headquarters |
Tõnismägi 9 Tallinn 10119 |
| Youth wing | Estonian Reform Party Youth |
| Membership (2014) | 12,972 |
| Ideology |
Liberalism Classical liberalism |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| European affiliation | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |
| International affiliation | Liberal International |
| European Parliament group | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe |
| Colours | Yellow and blue |
| Riigikogu |
30 / 101
|
| European Parliament |
2 / 6
|
| Website | |
| www |
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The Estonian Reform Party (Estonian: Eesti Reformierakond) is a liberalpolitical party in Estonia. The party is led by Hanno Pevkur and has 30 members in the 101-member Riigikogu, making it the largest party in the legislature.
The party was founded by then-President of the Bank of Estonia Siim Kallas as a split from National Coalition Party Pro Patria. At the 1995 election, it won 19 seats in the Riigikogu, making it the second largest party. The Reform Party replaced the Estonian Centre Party in government in autumn 1995, and remained there until 1996. In 1999, the party lost a seat, but returned to the cabinet in coalition with the Pro Patria Union and the People's Party Moderates. The party has remained in various coalitions since then, with Andrus Ansip as Prime Minister since 2005. At the 2007 election, the party won 31 seats, becoming the largest party for the first time, and increased its seat tally again in 2011, with 33 seats. It narrowly won the 2015 general election, losing 3 mandates compared to its 2011 result, ending up with 30 seats.
As the Reform Party has participated in most of the government coalitions in Estonia since the mid-1990s, its influence has been significant, especially regarding Estonia's free market and low taxes policies. 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 Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Party. The founder and the first chairman of the Reform Party, Siim Kallas, was a Commissioner of the European Commission between 2004 and 2014. He was also one of the five Vice Presidents of the Barroso Commission.
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