Estonian People's Party
The Estonian People's Party (Estonian Eesti Rahvaerakond - ER) was a conservative- nationalist liberal political party in Estonia during the interwar period.
History and Program
The Estonian People's Party took lay claim to be the oldest political party. She saw herself as a successor, which was founded in 1905 Estonian National minded Progressive Party ( Eesti Rahvameelne Eduerakond ).
The Estonian People's Party emerged as a merger of the Estonian Democratic Party ( Eesti Demokraatlik Erakond ) and the Estonian Radical Democratic Party ( Eesti Radikaaldemokraatlik Erakond ). After the proclamation of the sovereignty of the Republic of Estonia in 1918, she took just before the elections to the Constituent Assembly ( Asutav Kogu ) to its new name.
At the founding congress in March 1919, the clerical part of the party broke away. Under the name of Christian People's Party ( Kristlik Rahvaerakond ) founded the supporters of a stronger position of the Evangelical Lutheran Church own denominational oriented party.
Programmatically emphasized the Estonian People's Party, the national interests of the Estonian people. She stood close to values conservative- nationalist ideas. A closer to the people of Estonian patriotism should overcome the division of society into social classes. The nation should create this in the young Estonian state a unifying bond for the entire nation. The party was for the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law on the Western model. She stepped despite a conservative stance for a social market economy with a liberal sign.
Your fan base consisted mostly of intellectuals, the educated urban middle class, but also a part of the farmers. The party was especially strong in the south of Estonia, especially in the university town of Tartu and the district surrounding the city.
Charismatic for the party was the repeated head of government Jaan Tõnisson. From 1919 to 1932, the publisher of the newspaper Postimees was their undisputed Chairman. Other leading politicians of the ER were Jüri Jaakson ( head of government in 1924/25 ), the multiple Minister August Kerem, Peter Põld of the University of Tartu, Tallinn Mayor Jaan Poska and educator Jakob Vestholm.
In the wake of the global economic crisis came in the early 1930s to several mergers in the Estonian party system. 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 came the National Centre Party ( Rahvuslik Keskerakond ) from an association with the conservative Estonian Labour Party ( Eesti Tööerakond ).