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 Kaja Kallas of the Reform Party. She took the office on 26 January 2021 following the resignation of Jüri Ratas.
The Social Democratic Party is a centre-left political party in Estonia. It is currently led by Lauri Läänemets. The party was formerly known as the Moderate People's Party. The SDE has been a member of the Party of European Socialists since 16 May 2003 and was a member of the Socialist International from November 1990 to 2017. It is orientated towards the principles of social-democracy,and it supports Estonia's membership in the European Union. From April 2023,the party has been a junior coalition partner in the third Kallas government.
The Riigikogu is the unicameral parliament of Estonia. In addition to approving legislation,the Parliament appoints high officials,including the prime minister and chief justice of the Supreme Court,and elects the president. Among its other tasks,the Riigikogu also ratifies significant foreign treaties that impose military and proprietary obligations and bring about changes in law,as well as approves the budget presented by the government as law,and monitors the executive power.
Estonia elects a legislature on the national level. The Riigikogu has 101 members,elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. A head of state –the president –is elected for a five-year term by parliament or an electoral college. Locally,Estonia elects local government councils,which vary in size. Election law states the minimum size of a council depending on the size of municipality. Local government councils are elected by proportional representation too.
The president of the Republic of Estonia is the head of state of the Republic of Estonia. The current president is Alar Karis,elected by Parliament on 31 August 2021,replacing Kersti Kaljulaid.
Andrus Ansip is an Estonian politician,a member of the European Parliament,the former European Commissioner for Digital Single Market and Vice President of the European Commission,in office from 2014 until 2019. Previously,he was Prime Minister of Estonia from 2005 to 2014 and chairman of the liberal Estonian Reform Party from 2004 to 2014.
Jaan Tõnisson was an Estonian statesman,serving as the Prime Minister of Estonia twice during 1919 to 1920,as State Elder from 1927 to 1928 and in 1933,and as Foreign Minister of Estonia from 1931 to 1932.
Riigihoidja was the name of the office of the head of state and head of the caretaker government of Estonia from 3 September 1937 to 24 April 1938. The first person to hold this position was Konstantin Päts,five time former State Elder. His eventual successor ex officio was Johan Laidoner,then Commander-in-Chief.
Eiki Nestor is an Estonian politician,member of the Social Democratic Party. He was the leader of the party from 1994 to 1996. Nestor has been a member of the 7th,8th,9th,10th,11th and 12th Parliament of Estonia,being a Minister without Portfolio in charge of regional affairs from 1994 to 1995 and a Minister of Social Affairs from 1999 to 2002. He was elected Speaker of the Riigikogu in March 2014 and served until April 2019.
Same-sex marriage will soon be legal in Estonia. The government elected in the March 2023 election,led by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and consisting of the Reform Party,the Social Democrats and Estonia 200,vowed to legalize same-sex marriage. Legislation was introduced to the Riigikogu in May 2023,and was approved in a final reading by 55 votes to 34 on 20 June. It was signed into law by President Alar Karis on 27 June,and will take effect on 1 January 2024.
Jüri Ratas is an Estonian politician who was the 18th prime minister of Estonia from 2016 to 2021. He has been Leader of the Centre Party since 2016,and was the mayor of Tallinn from 2005 to 2007.
Ene Ergma is an Estonian politician,a member of the Riigikogu,and scientist. She was a member of the political party Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica and,before the two parties merged,a member of Res Publica Party. On 1 June 2016,Ergma announced her resignation from the party,because the party had lost its identity and turned populist.
The Estonian government-in-exile was the formally declared governmental authority of the Republic of Estonia in exile,existing from 1944 until the reestablishment of Estonian sovereignty over Estonian territory in 1991 and 1992. It traced its legitimacy through constitutional succession to the last Estonian government in power prior to the Soviet invasion of 1940. During its existence,it was the internationally recognized government of Estonia.
The following is an alphabetical list of articles related to the Republic of Estonia.
A parliamentary election was held in Estonia on 6 March 2011,with e-voting between 24 February and 2 March 2011. The newly elected 101 members of the 12th Riigikogu assembled at Toompea Castle in Tallinn within ten days of the election. The incumbent government of the Reform Party and IRL continued in office until 2014 when Prime Minister Andrus Ansip resigned,ending his tenure as the longest-serving Prime Minister in contemporary Estonian history. He was replaced by Taavi Rõivas who formed a new coalition government with SDE. The Riigikogu elected after this election was the least fragmented in Estonian history,featuring only four parties.
Davy Klaassen is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Serie A club Inter Milan and the Netherlands national team.
The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR was the formal rubber stamp legislative body of the Estonian SSR without any substantive meaning,which was formally elected in general elections,but whose members were essentially appointed by the leadership of the Communist Party. Before 1988,the Supreme Soviet had no meaningful political role. After its first democratic elections on 18 March 1990,the institution was renamed the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia on 8 May 1990.
Electoral district no. 11 is one of the 12 multi-member electoral districts of the Riigikogu,the national legislature of Estonia. The district was established in 1992 when the Riigikogu was re-established following Estonia's independence from the Soviet Union. It was renamed electoral district no. 10 in 1995 following the re-organisation of electoral districts but reverted to electoral district no. 11 in 2003. It is conterminous with the counties of Põlva,Valga and Võru. The district currently elects eight of the 101 members of the Riigikogu using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 parliamentary election it had 70,706 registered electors.
Electoral district no. 12 is one of the 12 multi-member electoral districts of the Riigikogu,the national legislature of Estonia. The district was established in 1992 when the Riigikogu was re-established following Estonia's independence from the Soviet Union. It was renamed electoral district no. 11 in 1995 following the re-organisation of electoral districts but reverted to electoral district no. 12 in 2003. It is conterminous with the county of Pärnu. The district currently elects seven of the 101 members of the Riigikogu using the open party-list proportional representation electoral system. At the 2019 parliamentary election it had 66,852 registered electors.
Alar Karis is an Estonian molecular geneticist,developmental biologist,civil servant and politician who,since 11 October 2021,has served as the sixth president of Estonia.
