[14] The government adopted a controversial pension reform that turned the second pillar into a voluntary system, intending to give participants more control over their savings while creating a more competitive market to improve returns and cut fees.
[15] The formerly mandatory second pillar had been criticized by some of its opponents as essentially turning Estonians into slaves to an international banking system and the reform was compared to abolition of serfdom in the 19th century.
[23] During the COVID-19 crisis, the government temporarily banned entrance of cheap labor force into Estonia, a move that was often seen as relating more to migration policy than the quarantine.
Together with Hungary, Estonia declared the Global Compact for Migration a "dangerous document" and cooperated against its implementation while also working together to halt the European migrant crisis.
[31] Meanwhile the project of Rail Baltica caused controversy within government, with EKRE opposing it on the grounds of environmental protection and supposed economic inefficiency.
[34] The government also launched a new investigation into the sinking of the MS Estonia in 1994, alluding to conspiracy theories according to which the ship sank as a result of an explosion or collision with a military submarine.
"[40]The subsequent reversal of his stance and the inclusion of EKRE by Ratas in coalition talks after the elections was met with local and international criticism.
[45] EKRE party leader and Minister of the Interior Mart Helme faced criticism for calling president Kersti Kaljulaid an "emotionally heated woman".
On 28 March 2019, EKRE's proposed new Minister of Finance, Martin Helme, demanded that Estonian Public Broadcasting (ERR) would ban and punish journalists who had criticised his party.
[48] On 22 April, journalist Vilja Kiisler left Postimees, one of the biggest newspapers in Estonia, due to differences with the paper's newly appointed editor-in-chief[49] on her op-ed about the policies of EKRE.
[51] On the swearing-in of the new cabinet president Kersti Kaljulaid wore a sweatshirt emblazoned with the slogan Sõna on vaba (the word/speech is free) as a statement of the importance of the freedom of speech.
[58] The following morning after the elections, EKRE's proposed new Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology, Marti Kuusik was caught by the police speeding (74 km/h in 50 km/h zone) and driving under the influence.
[60] On 29 April 2019, reports emerged of alleged history of Kuusik's domestic violence including breaking his wife's arm bone twice.
[45] On 25 October 2019, Minister of Foreign Trade and IT Kert Kingo resigned after being caught lying in front of the Riigikogu about the appointment of her new adviser who had posted sexually offensive remarks on Facebook.
[70] On 25 November 2019, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas proposed the dismissal of the Minister of Rural Affairs Mart Järvik after a commission of inquiry led by the Secretary of State Taimar Peterkop had found that Järvik had exceeded his authority and made inconsistent statements regarding findings of Listeria bacteria at a fish packing plant.
[72] On the morning of 17 April 2020, Minister of Foreign Trade and Information Technology Kaimar Karu announced on social media that EKRE chairman Mart Helme has recalled him from the government.
[77] On 9 November 2020, Minister of the Interior Mart Helme, a supporter of Donald Trump, resigned due to political pressure after he and his son, Minister of Finance, Martin Helme had in their weekly radio show called 2020 United States presidential elections fraudulent, rigged by the "deep state" and US president elect Joe Biden a corrupt character.
[79] On 20 November 2020, Minister of Education and Research Mailis Reps resigned due to the media criticism on her usage of the official ministerial vehicles for her personal purposes.