Christian People's Party (Estonia)
The Christian People's Party (Estonian Kristlik Rahvaerakond - KRE ) was a conservative political party in Estonia during the interwar period.
History and Program
The Christian People's Party emerged as a breakaway movement led by Jaan Tõnisson Estonian People's Party ( Eesti Rahvaerakond ). At the founding congress of the Estonian People's Party in March 1919, just before the elections to the Constituent Assembly of the Republic of Estonia ( Asutav Kogu ), the different approaches to the role of the church in a democratic state came clearly to light. The trailer for a stronger role of the church seceded and formed the Christian People's Party.
The Christian People's Party tried to counteract the declining influence of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in state and society. Your followers advocated a decidedly Christian worldview and advocated strengthening of Christian morality a. Your programmatic stood near the conservatism and thus remained closely connected to the ideas of the Estonian People's Party. The party had in the 1920s, relatively large influence on the culture and education policy in Estonia.
In addition to church officials and theologians such as the clergy Jacob Kukk, Johan Kopp, Alexander Kapp and Hugo Bernhard Rahamägi secular politicians played a major role in the party. The most important were Friedrich Karl Akel ( Head of Government 1924) and the multiple Minister Jaan Lattik, Nikolai Can and Heinrich Bauer.
Their biggest success came in 1923 with the party a referendum on the introduction of a government-funded religion compulsory subject in the curriculum of public schools (with voluntary participation of the students). The Estonian Parliament had rejected the proposed law before. Run by the party referendum in February 1923 was successful with a majority of 71.9 % of the vote. As a result, Parliament had to be dissolved and new elections were held in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. It could record a historic election success with the KRE 8 mandates.
Following the referendum of encouragement to the Christian People's Party went further and further behind. Also contributed to theological disputes within the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, which spilled over to the party. The party was clerical. The main focus was henceforth less on the cultural and educational policy as to the rights and property of the parishes.
In October 1931, joined the Estonian People's Party and the Christian People's Party, which had split in 1919, again together. In January 1932, the National Centre Party was created ( Rahvuslik Keskerakond ) from a union of the Estonian People's Party with the conservative Estonian Labour Party ( Eesti Tööerakond ).