Indrek Tarand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Indrek Tarand MEP
Member of the European Parliament
In office 1 July 2009 – 30 June 2019
Constituency	Estonia
Personal details
Born	(1964-02-03) 3 February 1964 (age 61) Tallinn, Estonia
Political party	Estonian Independent  EU European Green Party
Spouse	Kadi Tarand
Children	3
Alma mater	University of Tartu SAIS Bologna, Johns Hopkins University

Indrek Tarand (born on February 3, 1964) is an Estonian politician. He used to be a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for Estonia. Even though he was an independent politician, he was part of the European Green Party.

Tarand has also worked as an advisor to Estonia's Prime Minister. He was also the Secretary General of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

About Indrek Tarand

Indrek Tarand is the oldest son of a politician named Andres Tarand. His mother, Mari Tarand, was a well-known linguist and radio journalist. His younger brother, Kaarel Tarand, is also a journalist.

His Education and Early Life

Indrek Tarand studied history at the University of Tartu in Estonia. He also studied in Italy at the University of Bologna. While he was a student during the time Estonia was under Soviet occupation, he faced a challenge. He was expelled in his first year for lighting candles with friends at the grave of an Estonian military leader. After this, Tarand was made to serve in the Soviet military. He then finished university in 1991.

Public Life and Other Roles

In 2005, Tarand caused a stir at a soccer game. He wore a shirt that led to a lot of discussion. This event was one reason why the defense minister at the time, Jaak Jõerüüt, decided to resign.

In 2006, Indrek Tarand was a celebrity contestant on the first season of Tantsud tähtedega. This show is the Estonian version of Dancing with the Stars. His professional dance partner was Kaisa Oja.

He is also a freelance journalist. He hosts shows on both radio and television. This includes the Estonian version of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?.

Tarand also served as the Director of the Estonian War Museum. This museum is also known as the General Laidoner Museum. However, he left this job shortly after becoming a Member of the European Parliament. As a reserve officer, Tarand holds the rank of second lieutenant.

In 2011, Tarand ran for president in Estonia. He ran against Toomas Hendrik Ilves. The Estonian Centre Party supported Tarand's candidacy. The other three parties in parliament supported Ilves. Tarand received 25 votes in the Riigikogu (Estonian parliament). Ilves received 73 votes.

Indrek Tarand in the European Parliament

The European Parliament (EP) is where elected members from different European countries work together. They make decisions that affect the whole of Europe.

First Term (2009-2014)

In June 2009, Indrek Tarand ran as an independent candidate for the European Parliament elections. He received a surprising number of votes: 102,460. This placed him second, just behind the Estonian Centre Party. He then joined the political group called the Greens/European Free Alliance.

During his first term from 2009 to 2014, he was part of several important groups. These included committees on:

• Constitutional Affairs (AFCO)
• Foreign Affairs (AFET)
• Security and Defence (SEDE)

He also worked with delegations that focused on relations with other countries. These included Israel, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Tarand gave many speeches during this time. He often talked about topics like:

• European foreign policy
• The United Nations and international agreements
• Human rights and refugees
• Climate change and energy security
• The EU budget and technology

Key Reports and Opinions

As a Member of the European Parliament, Tarand helped write important reports and opinions. These documents guide the Parliament's decisions.

He was the main author (rapporteur) for reports on:

• The role of security and defense in climate crises (2012)
• An opinion on the Kyoto Protocol for climate change (2014)

He also helped with (shadow rapporteur) reports on:

• Setting up the European External Action Service (2009)
• A policy for the Arctic region (2010)
• Cybersecurity and defense (2012)
• Digital freedom in EU foreign policy (2012)

The Spinelli Group

In 2010, Indrek Tarand joined the Spinelli Group. This group includes politicians, academics, and writers. Their goal is to encourage Europe to work more closely together. They want to strengthen the idea of a united Europe.

Second Term (2014-2019)

Tarand's success in 2009 inspired many others to run as independent candidates in 2014. Indrek Tarand ran again as an independent. He was re-elected with 43,369 votes. He continued to be a member of the Greens/European Free Alliance group.

For his second term, he joined new committees and delegations:

• Committee on Budgets (BUDG)
• Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE)
• Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE)
• Delegations for relations with the Andean Community and the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly.

He continued to be a rapporteur for opinions on topics like:

• The annual report from the EU's foreign policy chief (2015)
• A fisheries agreement with Senegal (2015)

He was also a shadow rapporteur for reports on:

• The EU budget for 2015 (2014)
• A cooperation agreement with Morocco on satellite systems (2014)
• Financial rules for the EU budget (2015)

In his second term, his speeches focused on important issues. These included the EU budget, climate agreements, anti-terrorism measures, and the situation in Ukraine. He also spoke about human rights in various countries.