Estonia goes to the polls amidst far-right surge

Estonia's mainstream parties are polling ahead of the nationalist EKRE party, which still looks likely to make major gains. One of the main issues facing the country is the emigration of highly skilled workers.

Estonians headed to the polls on Sunday as Prime Minister Juri Ratas and his Center Party face off against the moderately conservative Reform Party. Also contesting the election is the far-right nationalist Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE), which looks poised to make major gains on its 2015 results.

Ratas' Center Party has been ruling in coalition with the Social Democrats and the center-right Pro Patria party since the previous government collapsed in a no-confidence vote in November 2016.

The Center party has widespread support amongst Estonia's ethnic Russian population, which makes up about 25 percent of the country's 1.3 million inhabitants. It has remained popular despite Ratas' predecessor as party leader, Edgar Savisaar, repeatedly being targeted with corruption allegations over his close ties to Russian officials.

Some 1,099 candidates from 10 parties are vying for the 101 spots in the Riigikogu, Estonia's parliament.

Far-right looks to make major gains

Nearly every other party has vowed not to form a government with the populist EKRE over its Euroskepticism and xenophobic rhetoric. Founded by Mart Helme, the former ambassador to Russia, the party opposes civil partnerships for same-sex couples in Estonia, has called LGBT Pride celebrations a "parade of perverts," and called for major immigration restrictions.

It garnered 8.1 percent of the vote in 2015 elections, and is likely to do even better this time, polling at 17 percent ahead of Sunday's ballot.

According to public broadcaster ERR, the Center Party is at 28 percent support, which is also higher than its 2015 values. The Reform Party is looking at 24.8 percent.

One of the key issues at play in Estonia's election is "brain drain" as tens of thousands of young Estonians have moved abroad to work, leaving the country with a serious lack of highly-skilled workers. This is seen as particularly detrimental to Estonia's prized start-up scene.

In 2005, Estonia became the first nation in history to launch an online parliamentary voting system. Around 26 percent of voters had already cast their ballots on the internet before the February 27 deadline.