President of Estonia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Estonia
Presidential Standard
Incumbent Alar Karis since 11 October 2021
Style	Mr President (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Residence	Presidential Palace, Tallinn
Appointer	Riigikogu / Electoral College (alternately until a candidate reaches the required majority)
Term length	5 years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Estonia
Inaugural holder	Konstantin Päts
Formation	24 April 1938; 87 years ago (1938-04-24)
Abolished	1940–1991
Deputy	Speaker of the Riigikogu
Salary	€6,661.77 monthly

The Presidential Standard flying at sea.

The President of the Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti Vabariigi President) is the head of state of Estonia. The current president is Alar Karis. He was chosen by the Estonian Parliament on August 31, 2021, taking over from Kersti Kaljulaid.

Estonia is a parliamentary republic. This means the president is mostly a symbolic figure. They do not have much direct power over the government. The president must leave any political party when they take office. This helps them stay fair and independent. A president serves for five years. They can be elected many times, but only twice in a row.

How the President is Chosen

In Estonia, the president is elected by the Riigikogu, which is the country's parliament. A candidate needs to get support from two-thirds of the members to win.

If no one gets enough votes after three tries in the Riigikogu, a special group is formed. This group includes all members of the Riigikogu and chosen representatives from all Estonian towns and cities. This larger group then picks between the two candidates who got the most votes.

Some people think the public should vote directly for the president. However, this idea does not have enough support in the parliament right now.

A Look Back: History of the President

Estonia's Presidential Palace in Kadriorg Park, where the president lives and works.

When Estonia first became independent, its leaders wanted to avoid giving too much power to one person. This was because they remembered how powerful the Russian emperors had been. So, they created a system where the Parliament (Riigikogu) had almost all the power.

Until 1934, the head of state was called the State Elder. This person also led the government. However, the State Elder could not really balance power between the Parliament and the Government. Both the State Elder and the Government depended completely on the Parliament. The jobs usually done by a president were shared among the Speaker of the Riigikogu, the State Elder, and the Government.

In 1938, a new constitution was made. The head of state's title was changed to "President of the Republic." This president had more power than the earlier State Elder. Konstantin Päts became the first person to be called President of the Republic. His term was planned to last for six years.

After Estonia was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940, President Päts was removed from his position. He was later taken to Russia.

According to the 1938 constitution, if the president could not do their job, the prime minister would take over as "Prime Minister in duties of the President." Later, an acting president was chosen by a special council. This was to keep Estonia's legal government alive even when the country was occupied.

Many Estonian leaders went into exile in Sweden during the Soviet occupation. They continued to act as a government-in-exile, with a line of acting presidents. In 1992, after Estonia became independent again, the last acting president in exile, Heinrich Mark, officially handed over his duties to the newly elected president, Lennart Meri.

After Estonia regained its freedom, a new constitution was created in 1992. It mixed ideas from the earlier constitutions. The title "President" was chosen for the head of state. Since 1992, there have been seven presidential elections.

What the President Does

The President of the Republic of Estonia has several important duties, even though their role is mostly symbolic:

• Represents Estonia: The president is Estonia's main representative in international matters. They sign international agreements that the government has approved.
• Appoints Diplomats: They appoint Estonia's ambassadors to other countries and international groups. They also welcome foreign ambassadors to Estonia.
• Calls Elections: The president announces when regular elections for the Riigikogu (parliament) will happen. They can also call special elections in certain situations, like if the parliament cannot pass the national budget.
• Starts Parliament Sessions: They bring together the new members of the Riigikogu and open their first meeting.
• Approves Laws: The president signs bills into law. If they think a bill goes against the Constitution, they can send it back to the Riigikogu to be reviewed. If the Riigikogu passes it again without changes, the president must either sign it or ask the Supreme Court to decide if it is constitutional.
• Suggests Constitutional Changes: The president can suggest changes to the Constitution. This right has been used only twice so far.
• Nominates Prime Minister: The president suggests a person to become the prime minister after talking with political groups in parliament. This person is usually the leader of the main political group. The parliament then votes to approve this choice.
• Appoints Government Members: On the prime minister's suggestion, the president formally appoints and removes government ministers.
• Appoints Key Officials: The president nominates important officials like the head of the Supreme Court, the head of the Bank of Estonia, and the auditor general. These choices must be approved by the Riigikogu.
• Leads Defence Forces: The president is the Supreme Commander of Estonia's National Defence Forces. This role is mostly ceremonial.
• Declares Emergencies: They can propose to the Riigikogu to declare martial law or a state of emergency. In case of an attack on Estonia, they can declare martial law and order mobilization.
• Leads Defence Council: The president leads the State Defence Council, which is a group that advises on national defence.
• Grants Clemency: The president can pardon or reduce the sentences of people who have been convicted of crimes.

Unlike presidents in some other countries, Estonia's president does not lead the government. The power to run the country belongs to the Government.

List of Presidents

No.	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Party	Birth and death
1		Konstantin Päts	24 April 1938	23 July 1940		b. 23 February 1874, Tahkuranna d. 18 January 1956, Burashevo, Kalinin Oblast, USSR
			Elected by an Electoral Assembly (parliament and local representatives).
2		Lennart Meri	6 October 1992	8 October 2001	Pro Patria National Coalition	b. 29 March 1929, Tallinn d. 14 March 2006, Tallinn
			Elected by parliament in 1992. Re-elected by an Electoral Assembly in 1996.
3		Arnold Rüütel	8 October 2001	9 October 2006	People's Union of Estonia	b. 10 May 1928, Laimjala Parish, Saare County d. 31 December 2024
			Elected by an Electoral Assembly.
4		Toomas Hendrik Ilves	9 October 2006	10 October 2016	Social Democratic Party	b. 26 December 1953, Stockholm, Sweden
			Elected by an Electoral Assembly in 2006. Re-elected by parliament in 2011.
5		Kersti Kaljulaid	10 October 2016	11 October 2021	Independent	b. 30 December 1969, Tartu
			Elected by parliament.
6		Alar Karis	11 October 2021	Incumbent	Independent	b. 26 March 1958, Tartu
			Elected by parliament in 2021.

See also

• First Lady of Estonia
• Prime Minister of Estonia
• State Elder of Estonia
• Riigihoidja