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Prime Minister of Estonia

Head of government of Estonia


Head of government of Estonia

FieldValue
postPrime Minister
bodythe Republic of Estonia
native_nameEesti Vabariigi peaminister
insigniaCoat of arms of Estonia.svg
insigniasize100px
insigniacaptionCoat of arms of Estonia
imageKristen Michal EP 2024 (cropped).jpg
incumbentKristen Michal
incumbentsince23 July 2024
departmentGovernment of Estonia
styleMister Prime Minister
(informal)
His Excellency
(diplomatic)
typeHead of government
member_ofEuropean Council
residenceStenbock House
appointerPresident
termlengthNo term limit
salary€7303 monthly
inauguralKonstantin Päts
formation
abolished1940–1991
websitehttps://valitsus.ee

(informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)

The prime minister of Estonia () is the head of government of the Republic of Estonia. The prime minister is nominated by the president after appropriate consultations with the parliamentary factions and confirmed by the parliament (Riigikogu). In case of disagreement, the parliament can reject the president's nomination and choose their own candidate. In practice, since the prime minister must maintain the confidence of parliament in order to remain in office, they are usually the leader of the senior partner in the governing coalition. The current prime minister is Kristen Michal of the Reform Party. He took the office on 23 July 2024 following the resignation of Kaja Kallas.

The prime minister does not head any specific ministry. Rather, in accordance with the constitution, the prime minister supervises the work of the government. The prime minister's significance and role in the government, and their relations with other ministries, often depend on the position of the party led by the prime minister relative to its coalition partners, and on how much influence the prime minister possesses within one's own party. If the prime minister has a strong position within one's party, and the government is made up solely of representatives of that party, the prime minister can enjoy considerable authority. In all crucial national questions, at least formally, the final word rests with the parliament as the legislative power.

Unlike counterparts in other parliamentary republics, the prime minister of Estonia is both de jure and de facto chief executive. This is because the constitution explicitly vests executive power in the government, of which the prime minister is the leader. In most other parliamentary republics, the president is at least nominal chief executive, while bound by convention to act on the cabinet's advice.

History

After Estonia declared independence from the then warring Russian and German Empires in 1918, the Provisional Government of Estonia was led by a Prime Minister until 1920. The 1920 Constitution set up a head of government whose position called the State Elder (riigivanem) and there was no separate head of state. This system was a radically parliamentary system because the State Elder could be dismissed by the Riigikogu with a simple majority. Moreover, the State Elder was not the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, nor could they ratify laws or dissolve the Riigikogu. The dissolution of Parliament was only possible through a referendum. Under the 1934 Constitution passed by plebiscite, the position of Prime Minister was recreated as head of government in a more presidential system. Under this constitution, the head of state took the name State Elder (riigivanem) identical to the name for the 1920–1934 head of government. The newly established head of state could appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister and Cabinet, veto laws, give decrees (statutes) and dissolve the Riigikogu. The incumbent Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder of Estonia Konstantin Päts, staged a self-coup to counter the threat of the Vaps Movement and suspended the full implementation of the 1934 Constitution, not going ahead with elections for the new head of state and suspending the parliament. Päts remained the Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder 1934–1937, and as President-regent (riigihoidja) for 1937–1938. According to the 1938 Constitution, the position of the Prime Minister was retained, while the head of state was finally renamed the President under a presidential system. The 1992 Constitution after the Soviet occupation reinstated the 1938–1940 positions of Prime Minister and President under a parliamentary system.

List

1918–1920

PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyCabinetRiigikogu
(Election)Separate
Head of StateTook officeLeft officeDaysThe executive order of the Provisional Government and the Council of Elders of the Provincial Assembly replaced the office of Chairman of the Council of Ministers.12345The 1920 Constitution replaced the office with State Elder.
[[File:Konstantin Päts.jpg70px]]Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers
of the Provisional Government24 February 191812 November 1918440Country People's Union
(EMRL)Päts I Provisional
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTPProvisional
Provincial
Assembly
(1917)None
Prime Minister
of the Provisional Government12 November 191827 November 1918Päts II Provisional
EMRL–ETE–EDE
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP
The Estonian Social Democratic Workers' Party (ESDTP) joined the coalition on 16 November 1918.
27 November 19189 May 1919Päts III Provisional
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP–SEE
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP–SEE–VKK
EMRL–ETE–ERE–ESDTP–SEE–VKK
The German Party in Estonia (SEE) joined the coalition on 28 November 1918. The Russian Citizens' Assembly (VKK) joined the coalition on 28 February 1919. The Estonian Democratic Party (EDE) merged with the Estonian Radical Democratic Party (ERDE) to form the Estonian People's Party (ERE) on 1 March 1919 and the new party remained in the government.
[[File:Prime minister Otto Strandman.jpg70px]]Otto August Strandman
(1875–1941)
1st Prime Minister9 May 191918 November 1919194Labour Party
(ETE)Strandman I
ETE–ESDTP–ERE
ETE–ESDTP
The Estonian People's Party (ERE) left the coalition on 20 September 1919.Constituent
Assembly
(1919)
[[File:Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg70px]]Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
2nd Prime Minister18 November 191928 July 1920254People's Party
(ERE)Tõnisson I
ERE–ETE–ESDTP
ERE–ETE–(ESDTP)
The Estonian Social Democratic Workers' Party (ESDTP) left the coalition on 1 July 1920, but its ministers remained in office.
[[File:Ado Birk (cropped).jpg70px]]Ado Birk
(1883–1942)
3rd Prime Minister28 July 192030 July 19203People's Party
(ERE)Birk
ERE–ETE–KRE
[[File:Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg70px]]Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
4th Prime Minister
(2nd term)30 July 192026 October 192089People's Party
(ERE)Tõnisson II
ERE
[[File:Ants Piip, 1923.jpg70px]]Ants Piip
(1884–1942)
5th Prime Minister26 October 192020 December 192092Labour Party
(ETE)Piip
ETE

1934–1937

PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyCabinetRiigikogu
(Election)Separate
Head of StateTook officeLeft officeDaysThe 1934 Constitution divided the office of State Elder between a new office called State Elder and a Prime Minister.6The Amendment Act of the 1938 Constitution temporarily merged the offices of State Elder and Prime Minister into President-Regent.
[[File:Konstantin Päts.jpg70px]]Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
24 January 19343 September 19371,319Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
All political parties were banned on 20 March 1935.Päts V
non-party coalition
Although Konstantin Päts resigned as President-Regent on 24 April 1938 to become the President on the same day, his cabinet remained temporarily in office until 9 May 1938, headed by acting Prime Minister Kaarel Eenpalu.V
(1932)Prime Minister
in duties of
the State Elder
Konstantin
Päts
Patriotic League]] which was the only sanctioned political organization, but which cannot be considered a political party per se.Parliament
suspended
The "Era of Silence" began with Konstantin Päts' self-coup on 12 March 1934. The Riigikogu approved of the coup retroactively on 15 March 1934. The Riigikogu was thereafter not convened after 2 October 1934. It was officially disbanded on 1 January 1938.

1938–1944

PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyCabinetRiigikogu
(Election)Separate
Head of StateTook officeLeft officeDaysThe 1938 Constitution divided the office of President-Regent between a President and a Prime Minister.781st Soviet Occupation (1940–1941)German Occupation (1941–1944)Independent (politician)}};"2nd Soviet Occupation
(See )
[[File:Kaarel Eenpalu.jpg70px]]Kaarel Eenpalu
(formerly Karl August Einbund)
(1888–1942)
Acting Prime Minister24 April 19389 May 1938537None
Päts V
(continued)
non-party coalition
Parliament
suspended
The "Era of Silence" began with Konstantin Päts' self-coup on 12 March 1934. The Riigikogu approved of the coup retroactively on 15 March 1934. The Riigikogu was thereafter not convened after 2 October 1934. It was officially disbanded on 1 January 1938.President
Konstantin
Päts
(1938–1940)
7th Prime Minister
(2nd term)9 May 193812 October 1939Estonianized]] his name into Kaarel Eenpalu, his two cabinets are therefore known as Einbund I and Eenpalu II cabinets.VI
(1938)
[[File:Jüri Uluots.jpg70px]]Jüri Uluots
(1890–1945)
8th Prime Minister12 October 1939occupied Estonia]] on 17 June 1940. The Soviet regime staged a pro-Soviet coup d'état on 21 June 1940, replacing the Jüri Uluots cabinet with that of Johannes Vares. The Republic of Estonia does not consider the Johannes Vares cabinet a legal government of Estonia and considers the Jüri Uluots cabinet to have legally remained in office until 18 September 1944.254None
Uluots
non-party coalition
[[File:Otto Tief.jpg70px]]Otto Tief
(1889–1976)
Acting Prime Minister18 September 1944
Prime Minister in the duties of the President Jüri Uluots appointed a new government after the departure of German forces, hoping to restore Estonian independence before the arrival of Soviet forces.occupied Estonia]] on 17 June 1940. The Soviet regime staged a pro-Soviet coup d'état on 21 June 1940, replacing the Jüri Uluots cabinet with that of Johannes Vares. The Republic of Estonia does not consider the Johannes Vares cabinet a legal government of Estonia and considers the Jüri Uluots cabinet to have legally remained in office until 18 September 1944.8NoneTief
non-party coalitionParliament
disbandedPrime Minister
in duties of
the President
Jüri Uluots
The legal Prime Minister Jüri Uluots assumed the role of Prime Minister in the duties of the President on 18 September 1944, after the departure of German forces and before the arrival of Soviet forces.

1990–present

PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyCabinetRiigikogu
(Election)Separate
Head of StateTook officeLeft officeDays2nd Soviet Occupation
(See Estonian Government in Exile)Estonian Centre Party}}; color:white"Independent (politician)}};"Pro Patria Union}}; color:white"9Social Democratic Party (Estonia)}}; color:white"10Estonian Coalition Party}}; color:white"11Estonian Coalition Party}}; color:white"12Pro Patria Union}}; color:white"13Estonian Reform Party}};"14Res Publica Party}}; color:white"15Estonian Reform Party}};"16Estonian Reform Party}};"17Estonian Centre Party}}; color:white"18Estonian Reform Party}};"19Estonian Reform Party}};"20
[[File:Edgar Savisaar 2005-crop.jpg70px]]Edgar Savisaar
(1950–2022)
1st Prime Minister
of the Interim Government3 April 1990
The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR on 30 March 1990 declared Soviet rule to have been illegal since 1940 and declared a transition period for full independence. Full independence was restored on 20 August 1991.29 January 1992668Popular Front of Estonia
(RR)
The Popular Front of Estonia formed the Estonian People's Centre Party on 12 October 1991.
Estonian People's Centre Party
(ERKE)Savisaar Interim
various coalition partners[Supreme
Soviet
(1990)](1990-estonian-supreme-soviet-election)
Chairman of the
Supreme Soviet
Chairman of the
Supreme Council
Arnold Rüütel
The "Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic" was renamed the "Republic of Estonia" on 8 May 1990 and thus the translation of the Ülemnõukogu was changed from "Supreme Soviet" to "Supreme Council".
[[File:Eesti peaminister Tiit Vähi kuningalossis Stockholmis '92 (cropped 2).jpg70px]]Tiit Vähi
(born 1947)
2nd Prime Minister
of the Interim Government29 January 199221 October 1992266NoneVähi Interim
various coalition partners
President
Lennart Georg Meri
(1992–2001)
President left the party upon assuming office.
[[File:Mart Laar 1993 (cropped).jpg70px]]Mart Laar
(born 1960)
9th Prime Minister21 October 19928 November 1994749Pro Patria
(I)
The electoral alliance "Pro Patria" formed the Pro Patria National Coalition Party on 21 November 1992.
Pro Patria National Coalition Party
(RKEI)Laar IVII
(1992)
[[File:Andres Tarand (1994) (PMF2490) (cropped) (2).jpg70px]]Andres Tarand
(born 1940)
10th Prime Minister8 November 199417 April 1995161Moderates
(M)
Tarand
M–RKEI–ERSP–ELDP–VKRE
[[File:Eesti peaminister Tiit Vähi kuningalossis Stockholmis '92 (cropped 2).jpg70px]]Tiit Vähi
(born 1947)
11th Prime Minister
(2nd term)17 April 19956 November 1995701*Coalition Party and
Country People's Alliance*
(KMÜ)Vähi I
KMÜ–KEVIII
(1995)
6 November 199517 March 1997Vähi II
KMÜ–REF
KMÜ
KMÜ–AP
The Estonian Reform Party (REF) left the coalition on 1 December 1996. The Progress Party (AP) joined the coalition on 9 December 1996.
[[File:Mart Siimann (ESMF654 402-A12951 1 pisipilt) (cropped).jpg70px]]Mart Siimann
(born 1946)
12th Prime Minister17 March 199725 March 1999739*Coalition Party and
Country People's Alliance*
(KMÜ)Siimann
KMÜ–AP
[[File:Mart Laar 2003.jpg70px]]Mart Laar
(born 1960)
13th Prime Minister
(2nd term)25 March 199928 January 20021,041Pro Patria Union
(IL)Laar II
IL–M–REFIX
(1999)
President
Arnold Rüütel
(2001–2006)
[[File:Siim Kallas 2004 (cropped).jpg70px]]Siim Kallas
(born 1948)
14th Prime Minister28 January 200210 April 2003438Reform Party
(REF)S. Kallas
REF–KE
[[File:Juhan-Parts.jpg70px]]Juhan Parts
(born 1966)
15th Prime Minister10 April 200312 April 2005735Res Publica Party
(RES)Parts
RES–REF–RLX
(2003)
[[File:Portrait Andrus Ansip.jpg70px]]Andrus Ansip
(born 1956)
16th Prime Minister12 April 20055 April 20073,271Reform Party
(REF)Ansip I
REF–KE–RL
President
Toomas Hendrik Ilves
(2006–2016)
5 April 20076 April 2011Ansip II
REF–IRL–SDE
REF–IRL
The Social Democratic Party (SDE) left the coalition on 21 May 2009.XI
(2007)
6 April 201126 March 2014Ansip III
REF–IRLXII
(2011)
[[File:RE Taavi Rõivas.jpg70px]]Taavi Rõivas
(born 1979)
17th Prime Minister26 March 20149 April 2015Reform Party
(REF)Rõivas I
REF–SDE
9 April 201523 November 2016Rõivas II
REF–SDE–IRLXIII
(2015)
President
Kersti Kaljulaid
(2016–2021)
[[File:Jüri Ratas 2017-05-25 (cropped).jpg70px]]Jüri Ratas
(born 1978)
18th Prime Minister23 November 201629 April 2019Centre Party
(KE)Ratas I
KE–SDE–IRL
KE–SDE–I
The Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica was renamed Party Pro Patria on 2 June 2018.
29 April 201926 January 2021Ratas II
KE–EKRE–I
XIV
(2019)
[[File:Kaja Kallas (crop).jpg70px]]Kaja Kallas
(born 1977)
19th Prime Minister26 January 202114 July 2022Reform Party
(REF)K. Kallas I
REF–KE
REF
The Centre Party left the coalition on 3 June 2022.
President
Alar Karis
(2021–)
18 July 202217 April 2023K. Kallas II
REF–SDE–I
17 April 202323 July 2024K. Kallas III
REF–E200–SDE
XV
(2023)
[[File:Kristen Michal EP 2024 (cropped).jpg70px]]Kristen Michal
(born 1975)
20th Prime Minister23 July 2024IncumbentReform Party
(REF)Michal
REF–E200–SDE

Timeline

PlotArea = top:10 bottom:100 right:150 left:20 AlignBars = late

Colors = id:ind value:gray(0.8) legend:Independent id:EMRL value:rgb(0.6,0.73,0.87) legend:Country_People's_Union id:ETE value:rgb(0.667,0.8,0.6) legend:Labour_Party id:ERE value:rgb(0.68,0.9,0.66) legend:People's_Party id:PK value:rgb(0.043,0.631,0) legend:Farmer's_Assemblies id:RR value:rgb(0,0.286,0.741) legend:Popular_Front_of_Estonia id:KE value:rgb(0,0.5,0) legend:Estonian_People's_Centre_Party id:I value:blue legend:Pro_Patria id:M value:rgb(0.8,0.2,0.2) legend:Moderates id:KMÜ value:rgb(1,0.6,0.2) legend:Coalition id:ER value:yellow legend:Reform id:RP value:rgb(0,0.5,0.5) legend:Res_Publica id:liteline value:gray(0.8) id:line value:rgb(0.3,0.3,0.3) id:bg value:white

DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1918 till:31/12/ TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:6 start:1918 ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:1 start:1918

Legend = columns:1 left:110 top:57 columnwidth:220

Define $now =

TextData = pos:(20,57) textcolor:black fontsize:s text:"Political Affiliation:"

BarData = bar:Pats bar:Strandman bar:Tonisson bar:Birk bar:Piip bar:Eenpalu bar:Uluots bar:Tief bar:Savisaar bar:Vähi bar:Laar bar:Tarand bar:Siimann bar:SKallas bar:Parts bar:Ansip bar:Rõivas bar:Ratas bar:KKallas bar:Michal

PlotData= width:5 align:left fontsize:s shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

bar:Pats from: 24/02/1918 till: 09/05/1919 color:EMRL from: 24/01/1934 till: 20/03/1935 color:PK from: 20/03/1935 till: 03/09/1937 color:Ind text:"Konstantin Päts" bar:Strandman from: 09/05/1919 till: 18/11/1919 color:ETE text:"Otto August Strandman" bar:Tonisson from: 18/11/1919 till: 28/07/1920 color:ERE from: 30/07/1920 till: 26/10/1920 color:ERE text:"Jaan Tõnisson" bar:Birk from: 28/07/1920 till: 30/07/1920 color:ERE text:"Ado Birk" bar:Piip from: 26/10/1920 till: 20/12/1920 color:ETE text:"Ants Piip" bar:Eenpalu from: 24/04/1938 till: 12/10/1939 color:Ind text:"Kaarel Eenpalu" bar:Uluots from: 12/10/1939 till: 21/06/1940 color:Ind text:"Jüri Uluots" bar:Tief from: 18/09/1944 till: 25/09/1944 color:Ind text:"Otto Tief" bar:Savisaar from: 03/04/1990 till: 12/10/1991 color:RR from: 12/10/1991 till: 29/01/1992 color:KE text:Edgar Savisaar bar:Vähi from: 29/01/1992 till:21/10/1992 color:IND from: 17/04/1995 till:17/03/1997 color:KMÜ text:Tiit Vähi bar:Laar from: 21/10/1992 till:08/11/1994 color:I from: 25/03/1999 till:28/01/2002 color:I text:Mart Laar bar:Tarand from:08/11/1994 till:17/04/1995 color:M text:Andres Tarand bar:Siimann from:17/03/1997 till:25/03/1999 color:KMÜ text:Mart Siimann bar:SKallas from:28/01/2002 till:10/04/2003 color:ER text:Siim Kallas bar:Parts from:10/04/2003 till:12/04/2005 color:RP text:Juhan Parts bar:Ansip from:12/04/2005 till:26/03/2014 color:ER text:Andrus Ansip bar:Rõivas from:26/03/2014 till:23/11/2016 color:ER text:Taavi Rõivas bar:Ratas from:23/11/2016 till:26/01/2021 color:KE text:Jüri Ratas bar:KKallas from:26/01/2021 till:23/07/2024 color:ER text:Kaja Kallas bar:Michal from:23/07/2024 till: color:ER text:Kristen Michal

Notes

References

References

  1. (15 March 2022). "Presidendi ja peaministri palk tõuseb 7303 euroni".
  2. (Seppo Zetterberg, "A History of Estonia" / Viron historia. 3rd edition. Helsinki: The Finnish Literary Society / Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura, 2007, pages 524–525)
  3. (Zetterberg 2007, pages 558–559)
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