According to the results of a survey commissioned by the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, 76 per cent of respondents are against the introduction of a car tax in Estonia, while 19 per cent are in favour.
The Estonian government aims to introduce a motor vehicle tax in Estonia starting from 2025, and the corresponding bill passed first reading in the parliament in February 2024.
The opposition (Isamaa, the Centre Party and the Estonian Conservative People’s Party) is strongly opposed to the car tax, and it has also caused disagreements within the coalition of the Reform Party, the Social Democrats and Estonia 200. The survey by the Institute for the Study of Societal Issues examined current public opinion on the car tax.
When asked about their attitude to the introduction of a car tax in Estonia, 76 per cent of respondents said they were “not in favour” or “rather not in favour”, 19 per cent were “in favour” or “rather in favour” and five per cent said “don’t know”.
Support for the car tax is highest among Reform Party voters, with 62 per cent in favour and 31 per cent against its introduction in Estonia. Conversely, 97 per cent of Estonian Conservative People’s Party supporters, 94 per cent of Centre Party supporters, 92 per cent of Isamaa supporters, 60 per cent of Estonian Social Democratic Party supporters and 54 per cent of Estonia 200 supporters do not support the car tax.
Over two thirds believe PM Kallas should resign
In a survey conducted in July 2023, 72 per cent of respondents were against the car tax, while 21 per cent were in favour.
Additionally, respondents were asked whether they thought Kaja Kallas should resign as the Estonian prime minister. 70 per cent said “yes” or “rather yes”, 24 per cent said “rather not” or “no”, and six per cent were undecided.
Among the voters, 98 per cent of the Estonian Conservative People’s Party, 94 per cent of the Centre Party, 88 per cent of Isamaa, and 61 per cent of the Social Democratic Party think Kallas should resign. Among supporters of Estonia 200, 40 per cent believe she should step down while 52 per cent do not. The corresponding figures for Reform Party supporters are 12 per cent and 82 per cent.
This question has been a regular feature in the institute’s surveys since the end of August 2023, with the proportion of people supporting Kallas’s resignation remaining between 65 and 71 per cent during this period.
