Who we are
Pro Patria and Res Publica Union (Isamaa ja Res Publica Liit – IRL) is a center-right party that belongs to European Peoples Party in European level.
IRL has a great history and we have played a huge role in making Estonia the country that it is.
The ancestor of IRL, Estonian National Independence Party is claimed to be the first party established in the former Soviet Union territory in 1988 even before the collapse of Soviet Union.
The predecessors of IRL – Pro Patria Union and Res Publica have had the responsibility of bearing the seat of Prime Minister three times (Mart Laar, 1992-1994 and 1999-2002; Juhan Parts 2003-2005) and has been a partner in forming coalition goverment even more. We have started and implemented many crucial reforms that have made Estonia what it is now be it the flat tax introduced by the first Government of Mart Laar or pioneering the e-Government and e-identity by the seconf Government led by Mart Laar to name a few. Juhan Parts was standing for the transparency of Estonia making it one of the most outstanding countries in the world.
IRL is continuing serving Estonia and its people.
Our basic values
The future
Estonia’s future is children. We need more children for the Estonian people and culture to survive. Our policies must help those people who wish to have children. For this, first, a stable and secure social environment must be created.
Estonia’s future is families. We will create a sense of security among families, which will allow for children to be raised into capable people. The family is the best environment for raising children and the best support for elderly people.
Estonia’s future is education. Educated people and educated nations will be able to cope in the rapidly changing world. Estonia must train independent and creative people who are capable of cooperation. Estonia’s success is based on a strong information society and innovative economy.
Estonia’s future is freedom. Today we live in one of the freest countries in the world, where everyone has the opportunity for self-realization. Free initiative has been the basis of Estonia’s current success. We want to preserve this great advantage.
Estonia’s future is a long-term view. We only support those political decisions that are based on an analysis of long-term effects. The only moral decisions are those that improve not only our own lives, but also those of our children and grandchildren.
Nationality and culture
Estonia is an open nation-state, which ensures the survival of the Estonian people, language, and culture. Our policies are directed at the development of Estonian culture, the broadening of the use of the Estonian language, and the growth of the nation.
Estonia is a country, where no obstacles are created for any people or culture. We support the aspirations of all peoples for self-determination, and especially assist our kindred peoples in their endeavors to maintain and protect their cultures. In Estonia, every ethnic group has the right to its culture, while also honoring the Estonian language as the state language.
Estonian culture is part of world culture. We especially want to develop the part of our culture that is capable of arousing attention in the world and introducing the best aspects of Estonia.
Freedom
Our ideal is a free people in a free country. We defend the right of Estonian people, nation, and state to make their own choices.
We stand for personal freedom and the rule of law. We honor the inviolability of people, homes, and property, and protect people from the arbitrariness of the state and officials.
We defend freedom of speech and thought. The right of people to have opinions and publicly express them must not be restricted in any way. We think that freedom of political self-determination is important. People’s compulsory politicization through the distribution of positions or public funds is unwarranted.
We stand for economic freedom. Enterprise creates new value for the society, creates jobs, opportunities, and wealth for us all. We support an open economy, the equal treatment of capital regardless of its origins, a stable economic environment, as well as low and proportional taxes.
We stand for the freedom of the Estonian state. Effective professional diplomacy ensures the protection of Estonian interests in Europe and the world. At the same time, we will invest in the strengthening of defense capabilities and increasing the people’s willingness to defend themselves.
Honest governance
The state is created for the people, not the people for the state. Government must be honest, transparent, and thrifty.
The state should be productive and effective. Laws are to be fulfilled and the state must be able to ensure the fulfillment of laws. The state and local government should fulfill only those assignments that cannot be handled by the private sector and civil initiative. Let’s reduce the cost and size of the government sector.
We will harshly punish abuses of public power and corruption.
Consideration
We believe in people, their ability to cope by themselves, and to make decisions. However, we know that not everyone always succeeds at this. Society must help those who are in trouble or left behind.
The greatest assistance must be provided to children and families with children because this is humane and beneficial for society. Assistance must also be provided to those who due to illness, disability, or old age are not able to manage on their own. Assistance must also be provided for those who have suffered temporary setbacks and have lost their jobs or homes.
The best social policy is a work policy. We will act in the name of helping as many people as possible to find jobs, and thereby to contribute to the development of society and manage with dignity.
Conservation
A pure and rich nature is our priceless wealth. The preservation of nature and natural resources is not self-evident today, but one must actively work towards this.
We must maintain clean water, clean air, and fertile soil. Instead of irreplaceable natural resources—primarily fossil fuels—renewable energy sources must be gradually adopted.
Sustainable development is a way of thinking, not just a collection of measures. We are working toward conservationist thinking becoming accepted in homes and businesses. We favor innovative technologies that produce less pollution and wastes.