Martin Helme

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Martin Helme

| image = Martin Helme 2023 (cropped).jpg

| office = Minister of Finance

| primeminister = Jüri Ratas

| term_start = 29 April 2019

| term_end = 26 January 2021

| predecessor = Toomas Tõniste

| successor = Keit Pentus-Rosimannus

| office2 = Leader of the Conservative People's Party

| term_start2 = 4 July 2020

| term_end2 =

| predecessor2 = Mart Helme

| successor2 =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|4|24|df=y}}

| birth_place = Tallinn, Estonia

| party = EKRE

| relations = Mart Helme (father)
Sirje Helme (mother)
Maarja Vaino (sister)
Peeter Helme (cousin)
Rein Helme (uncle)
Kalju Reitel (grandfather)

| alma_mater = University of Tartu

| caption = Helme in 2023

}}

Martin Helme (born 24 April 1976) is an Estonian politician and current leader of the Conservative People's Party (EKRE).{{cite news|url=https://news.err.ee/1109346/martin-helme-elected-chairman-of-ekre |title=Martin Helme elected chairman of EKRE |publisher=ERR}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/9c90cbe6-9d8d-11e9-9c06-a4640c9feebb|title = Estonia's golden image threatened by rise of far-right nationalists|newspaper = Financial Times|date = 16 July 2019|last1 = Milne|first1 = Richard|last2 = Peel|first2 = Michael|last3 = Khan|first3 = Mehreen}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48264637|title=Estonia: How boom-time Baltic republic embraced far right|work=BBC News|date=14 May 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/21/racism-sexism-nazi-economics-estonia-far-right-in-power-ekre|title=Racism, sexism, Nazi economics: Estonia's far right in power|website=TheGuardian.com|date=21 May 2019}} From 2019 to 2021 he was the country's Minister of Finance.{{cite web | last1=Olsen | first1=Jan M. | last2=Tanner | first2=Jari | title=Nationalist party enters Estonia's government | url=https://www.apnews.com/dca46a8c0dae43d9b5e253d89a1b6c0d | date=29 April 2019 | publisher=Associated Press | access-date=30 April 2019}}{{cite web | last1=Gershkovich | first1=Evan | title=Estonia joins the far-right club | url=https://www.politico.eu/article/estonia-tallinn-joins-the-far-right-club-martin-helme-mart-helme-kersti-kaljulaid-populism/ | date=30 April 2019 | publisher=Politico | access-date=1 May 2019}}

Political views

Helme's views have been described as eurosceptic and populist.{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/0e231a1618774541964fae0b226ec11e|title=Center-right party tops Estonia vote, but populists win, too|first=Jari|last=Tanner|date=3 March 2019|website=AP NEWS}} As one of the key figures in EKRE, Martin Helme advocates for national conservatism. He has been an opponent of Estonia's membership of the European Union and the use of the euro as the country's currency.{{cite web|url=https://arvamus.postimees.ee/1016180/martin-helme-koos-euroliiduga-saame-ka-venemaa|title=Martin Helme: koos euroliiduga saame ka Venemaa|date=23 October 2012|website=Arvamus}} He has claimed that immigration is endangering the sovereignty of European states, including Estonia.{{cite web|url=https://www.delfi.ee/news/paevauudised/eesti/ekre-immigratsioon-ohustab-euroopa-rahvusriikide-suveraansust?id=71471203|title=EKRE: immigratsioon ohustab Euroopa rahvusriikide suveräänsust|date=14 May 2015|website=Delfi}} Helme has been a vocal critic of the EU's Migration Pact.

Helme, then a board member of EKRE,{{cite web|url=https://news.err.ee/107416/conservative-politician-if-you-re-black-go-back|title=Conservative Politician: If You're Black, Go Back|last=ERR|date=29 May 2013|website=ERR}} caused controversy in 2013 for his views on immigration. During a TV interview about riots in socially segregated suburbs in Sweden, he said that "Estonia shouldn't allow things to go as far as in England, France and Sweden. Our immigration policy should have one simple rule: if (they're) black, show the door. As simple as that. We shouldn't allow this problem to emerge in the first place".{{cite web|url=https://www.postimees.ee/1252028/martin-helme-soovitus-immigratsioonipoliitikaks-kui-on-must-naita-ust|title=Martin Helme soovitus immigratsioonipoliitikaks: kui on must, näita ust|date=29 May 2013|website=Postimees}} The Estonian translation of "if it's black, show the door" rhymed as "Kui on must, näita ust" ({{IPA|et|kuj ɔn must næjtɑ ust|}}); it gained widespread notoriety and became one of the main slogans connected to EKRE.{{cite web|url=https://www.delfi.ee/a/85579039|title=Aadu Must koalitsiooniläbirääkimistest EKRE-ga: jälgin mureliku tähelepanuga kõiki arenguid, aga hauda endale ei kaeva|date=12 March 2019|website=Delfi}} In March 2019, Helme defended himself by saying that he had made the comments in 2013 before he was a politician, but nonetheless refused to condemn or retract them, stating that he would always stand against mass immigration.{{cite web|url=https://uudised.tv3.ee/eesti/uudis/2019/03/15/martin-helme-seisukohast-kui-on-must-naita-ust-see-valjend-pannakse-ilmselt-mu-hauakivile|title=Martin Helme seisukohast "Kui on must, näita ust": see väljend pannakse ilmselt mu hauakivile - Uudised.tv3.ee|website=uudised.tv3.ee|date=15 March 2019 }}

In the area of civil rights, Helme has campaigned against the passing of the Cohabitation Act in Estonia, which entitled same-sex couples to register as civil partners. He later campaigned to repeal the act.{{cite web|url=https://uueduudised.ee/arvamus/debatt-riigikogus-martin-helme-selgitab-kooseluseaduse-tuhistamise-vajadust/|title=Debatt riigikogus: Martin Helme selgitab kooseluseaduse tühistamise vajadust|first=Uued|last=Uudised|date=17 October 2017|website=Uued Uudised}}

In November 2020, while in the role of the Minister of Finance, Martin Helme claimed in a radio show he has no doubt that the 2020 US elections were falsified and that "If Trump is taken down, the US Constitution will no longer be in effect." The comments resulted in a political crisis that ended with the resignation of Jüri Ratas's entire second cabinet, including Helme himself.{{cite web | url=https://news.err.ee/1156613/mart-helme-joe-biden-and-his-son-corrupt-characters | title=Mart Helme: Joe Biden and his son corrupt characters | date=8 November 2020 }}

File:Martin Helme - CPAC Hungary 2023.jpg - CPAC Hungary 2023]]