Column: why voters love the Reform Party?
06.09.2010, 09:52Estonian sociologist Juhan Kivirähk says that the results of the August popularity poll of parties give plenty of reason to analyse why the public support for Andrus Ansip's Reform Party has remained so high even during the worst-ever economic crisis in Estonia.
In a recent interview to ERR, Kivirähk quoted finance minister and Ansip's fellow party member Jürgen Ligi saying that Ansip is excellent in one very important prime ministerial function: in keeping the public mood high. He is like a record player that plays the same old song about the current time being the best of all times and that he has always wanted to live in the current situation.
Kivirähk says that it is the confidence or skill of the Reform Party to create the impression that they have things firmly under control and that the party knows what it is doing that is impressing the public.
In addition, the Reform Party is very good in using a scare tactic by telling the voters that the worst-ever situation would be the Centre Party rising to power in Estonia and that Estonia's biggest hope is Andrus Ansip who recently again ruled out any cooperation with Savisaar.
The value of a charismatic leader should now be clear also to the Social Democrats that have for years remained stuck in their ideological niche and, instead of appealing to the voters' emotions, have been trying to appeal to the rationality of the voters.