Pro Patria and Res Publica Union

Isamaa yes Res Publica Liit, IRL ( German: Pro Patria and Res Publica Union) is a conservative party in Estonia. It was formed in 2006 from the merger of the Conservative Party Res Publica of former Prime Minister Juhan Parts and the Christian- nationalist conservative Homeland Union ( Isamaaliit ) by Mart Laar, who was also Prime Minister.

The party is chaired by Urmas Reinsalu.

The IRL has 23 of the 101 seats in the Estonian Riigikogu, together with the Reform Party, the ruling coalition and is six ministers. It also has one of six Estonian seats in the European Parliament. She is a member of the International Democratic Union, the Christian Democratic International and the European People's Party. The youth wing of the IRL IRL Noored. The party-affiliated foundation of the party is the Institute Pro Patria.

Predecessor parties

Isamaaliit ( Homeland Union )

Forerunner of the Homeland Union was the Rahvuslik Koonderakond " Isamaa " ( National Coalition Party "Fatherland" ), a coalition of four Christian democratic and conservative parties, which were mainly affected by dissidents and resisters against Soviet rule in Estonia. They won in the parliamentary elections in 1992 22.0 % of the vote and 28 of 101 seats, whereupon its leading candidate Mart Laar became Prime Minister. In 1994, the Parliament voted him but mistrust and he was replaced by the Social Democrats Andres Tarand. The coalition party joined in 1995, Eesti Rahvusliku Sõltumatuse Party ( Estonian National Independence Party ), which decreed in Parliament on 10 seats. The Homeland Union was founded, its first chairman was Toivo Jurgenson. In the elections of 1995, the IL fell back to 7.9 % and 8 seats. In 1998, Mart Laar again preside at the elections of 1999 and the Homeland Union was again successful with 16.1% and 18 seats. Laar was the second time Prime Minister until his resignation from the party and government office in 2002. New Party Chairman was Tunne Kelam, while the government took over Siim Kallas of the Reform Party. 2003 was elected again. The Isamaaliit lost again significantly, especially in favor of the Res Publica. You could win only 7.3% of the vote and 7 seats. The last party chairman Tonis Lukas, who took office in 2005, led the party in the merger with Res Publica. On June 4, 2006, she ceased to exist.

Erakond Res Publica

The Res Publica movement in Estonia was established in 1989 as a group of young Conservative and liberal economy, which were closely linked to the Homeland Union. 2001 was founded as a party under the name Ühendus Vabariigi eest - Res Publica (Estonian Republican Union - Res Publica), Juhan Parts took over the party chairmanship. In 2003 she took part for the first time in the parliamentary elections and was promptly with 24.6% the second strongest, with 28 of the 101 seats in parliament, they could even with the largest fraction of the Centre Party to catch up. Then they formed a center-right government with the Liberal Reform Party and the agrarian People's Union under the leadership part. This resigned in 2005 after a vote of no confidence was pronounced against his Minister of Justice. The Res Publica different then from out of the government. In 2005, the then only 31 -year-old Taavi Veskimägi the party chairmanship. On 4 June 2006, the merger took place with the Homeland Union.