Estonian PM seeks new coalition partner after welfare rift

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Estonia’s center-right Prime Minister Kaja Kallas is set to start power-sharing talks with two small center-leaning parties after her governing coalition broke up due to a dispute over welfare policy amid soaring inflation. The Baltic country’s President Alar Karis approved Friday’s move by Kallas — Estonia’s first female prime minister — to break up with the Center Party after more than a year in office together. Estonia is a former Soviet republic and borders with Russia. Kallas’ Reform Party has 34 seats in the 101-seat parliament and could continue heading a minority government. But she said she wanted to engage in talks with the center-right Christian Democrat Isamaa party, and the SDE Social Democrats.