Jüri Ratas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jüri Ratas
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Official portrait, 2024
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| 18th Prime Minister of Estonia | |
| In office 23 November 2016 – 26 January 2021 |
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| President | Kersti Kaljulaid |
| Preceded by | Taavi Rõivas |
| Succeeded by | Kaja Kallas |
| President of the Riigikogu | |
| In office 18 March 2021 – 10 April 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Henn Põlluaas |
| Succeeded by | Lauri Hussar |
| Leader of the Centre Party | |
| In office 5 November 2016 – 10 September 2023 |
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| Preceded by | Edgar Savisaar |
| Succeeded by | Mihhail Kõlvart |
| Mayor of Tallinn | |
| In office 15 November 2005 – 5 April 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Tõnis Palts |
| Succeeded by | Edgar Savisaar |
| Member of the Riigikogu | |
| In office 2 April 2007 – 15 July 2024 |
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| Constituency | Tallinn |
| Member of the European Parliament for Estonia |
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| Assumed office 16 July 2024 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 July 1978 Tallinn, Estonia |
| Political party | Centre (2000–2024) Isamaa (since 2024) |
| Spouse | Karin Ratas |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent |
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| Alma mater | Tallinn University of Technology |
Jüri Ratas, born on July 2, 1978, is a well-known politician from Estonia. He has held several important jobs in his country. He was the prime minister of Estonia from 2016 to 2021. He also led the Centre Party from 2016 to 2023. Before that, he was the mayor of Tallinn, Estonia's capital city, from 2005 to 2007. Jüri Ratas was a member of the Centre Party for many years. In 2024, he joined a different political group called Isamaa.
As prime minister, Jüri Ratas led two governments. His first government was in power from 2016 to 2019. His second government lasted from 2019 to 2021. During his time as prime minister, Estonia's national budget changed. It moved from having extra money to having a deficit. This means the country spent more than it earned.
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Political Journey
Jüri Ratas has had a long and active career in Estonian politics. He started early, becoming the mayor of Tallinn at just 27 years old. He served as mayor from 2005 to 2007. While he was mayor, he helped start the European Green Capital Award program. This program encourages cities to be more environmentally friendly.
From 2007 to 2016, Ratas was a vice-president of the Riigikogu. The Riigikogu is Estonia's parliament. In the 2015 national election, he was re-elected to parliament. He received many votes from individual citizens. In March 2015, he was chosen as the second deputy speaker of the Riigikogu.
On November 5, 2016, Jüri Ratas was elected to lead the Centre Party. He took over from Edgar Savisaar. Soon after, the government led by Taavi Rõivas broke apart. This led to new talks to form a government. The Centre Party, the Social Democratic Party, and the Pro Patria and Res Publica Union worked together.
Prime Minister of Estonia
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On November 19, 2016, the three parties agreed to form a government. This became Jüri Ratas' first cabinet. Ratas officially became the prime minister of Estonia on November 23.
After the 2019 Estonian parliamentary election, Ratas had a choice. The Reform Party, which won the election, offered to form a government with him. However, Ratas decided to talk with other parties instead. He formed a government with the conservative Isamaa party. He also included the EKRE.
On April 17, the Riigikogu allowed Ratas to form his new government. This led to the creation of Jüri Ratas' second cabinet in April 2019. During his time as prime minister, Estonia's national budget changed. It went into a deficit after many years of having extra money.
Forming a Government in 2019
In the 2019 elections, Jüri Ratas's Centre Party lost some support. The opposing Estonian Reform Party gained support. It became the largest party in the parliament. After the elections, Ratas chose not to join with the Reform Party. Instead, he started talks with Isamaa and EKRE.
Some people were surprised by this choice. Ratas had previously said he would not form a government with EKRE. This change in his decision caused some discussion. Ratas explained that his main goal was to keep his party in the government. He wanted to work for the benefit of his voters. He also said the new government would continue to support the EU and NATO.
Some important members of Ratas's own party disagreed with his decision. Raimond Kaljulaid left the party because of it. Yana Toom, a party member in the European Parliament, also shared her concerns. Mihhail Kõlvart, the mayor of Tallinn, also expressed his views.
On April 17, the Riigikogu voted to let Ratas form the government.
Ratas resigned as prime minister on January 13, 2021. This happened after a situation involving his party. He stated that he did not know about any wrongdoing. However, he chose to resign to take political responsibility. He stayed on as the head of a temporary government. This allowed a new government to be formed. On January 25, 2021, Kaja Kallas formed a new government. It was a partnership between the Estonian Reform Party and the Estonian Centre Party. Jüri Ratas was later succeeded by Lauri Hussar as the president of the Riigikogu on April 10, 2023.
Changing Political Parties
On January 29, 2024, Jüri Ratas announced a big change. He decided to leave the Centre Party. He then joined the conservative-christian democratic party called Isamaa. He explained that he had different values from the new leader of the Centre Party, Mihhail Kõlvart.
Personal Life
Jüri Ratas was born in Tallinn, Estonia. His father, Rein Ratas, was also a politician. Jüri went to secondary school in Nõmme. He studied Business Management at Tallinn University of Technology. He also earned a master's degree in Economic Sciences from the same university. He has a bachelor's degree in Law from the University of Tartu.
Jüri Ratas is married and has four children. He has one daughter and three sons.
Ratas considers himself a person of faith. He has completed a course at St. Olaf's Church. Besides Estonian, he speaks English very well. He also understands some Russian, Swedish, and Portuguese. He started learning Russian in early 2017.
His hobbies include playing chess, reading books, and horse riding.
Awards and Recognitions
National Awards
Estonia: He received the Order of the National Coat of Arms, 2nd class, on February 23, 2021.
International Awards
Latvia: He was honored as a Grand Officer of the Order of the Three Stars on April 8, 2019.
Netherlands: He received the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Orange-Nassau on June 12, 2018.
Ukraine: He was recognized as a Member 2nd Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise on October 21, 2022.
Images for kids
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Ratas with Boris Johnson
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Ratas with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on October 31, 2019
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Ratas with Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin on September 22, 2020
See also
In Spanish: Jüri Ratas para niños
