Estonia: Estonia's political elite began preparing yesterday for emergency talks to form a new government following the shock resignation of prime minister Juhan Parts.
The conservative Res Publica party of the outgoing prime minister and the liberal Reform Party said that they had chosen their delegations for tomorrow's talks, with the latter to be led by a potential candidate for the premiership, Andrus Ansip.
The third party in the outgoing government, the rural People's Union, is hoping to team up with the Reform Party, the Social Democrats, the nationalistic Pro-Patria Union and social liberals to form a "rainbow coalition".
While Estonia's pro-EU, pro-NATO stance and wish to adopt the euro are almost certain to remain unchanged, the departure of the prime minister and the collapse of the 11th government since the Baltic nation freed itself from rule by Moscow in 1991 has created new uncertainty.
Mr Parts resigned after parliament upheld a vote of no confidence in his justice minister, Ken-Marti Vaher. But analysts said the vote had been used by many politicians to strike at Mr Parts himself after months of bitter squabbling. In February, he forced out foreign minister Kriistina Ojuland after secret documents disappeared from her ministry. Last year, the defence minister was forced to quit when classified papers were stolen from his home.
President Arnold Ruutel has two weeks to nominate a prime minister, who will then have to present a cabinet to parliament for approval.
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