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Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia
Coat of arms of Estonia.svg
Kristen Michal in 2024 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Kristen Michal

since 23 July 2024
Government of Estonia
Style Mister Prime Minister
(informal)
His Excellency
(diplomatic)
Member of European Council
Residence Stenbock House
Appointer President
Term length No term limit
Inaugural holder Konstantin Päts
Formation 24 February 1918; 107 years ago (1918-02-24)
Abolished 1940–1991
Salary €7303 monthly
Website https://valitsus.ee


The prime minister of Estonia (Estonian: peaminister) is the main leader of the government in Estonia. They are like the chief executive officer of the country. The President chooses who they think should be prime minister. This choice happens after talking with different groups in the parliament (called the Riigikogu).

The parliament then needs to agree with the President's choice. If they don't agree, the parliament can pick their own person. Usually, the prime minister is the leader of the biggest party in the group of parties that form the government. This is because they need the parliament's support to stay in their job. The current prime minister is Kristen Michal from the Reform Party. He started his role on July 23, 2024. He took over after Kaja Kallas resigned.

The prime minister doesn't run a specific government department. Instead, their job is to look after all the government's work. The constitution says this. How much power the prime minister has often depends on their political party's strength. It also depends on how much influence they have within their own party. If the prime minister is very strong in their party, they can have a lot of authority. But for big national decisions, the parliament always has the final say.

In Estonia, the prime minister is truly the main leader of the government. This is different from some other countries. In many other countries, the president might be the official head. But they usually have to follow the advice of the government. In Estonia, the prime minister leads the government directly.

A Look Back: History of the Prime Minister Role

After Estonia became independent in 1918, the country was first led by a Prime Minister. This was part of the Provisional Government. This system lasted until 1920.

In 1920, a new constitution changed things. It created a leader called the State Elder (riigivanem). There was no separate prime minister or president at that time. The parliament could easily remove the State Elder. The State Elder also couldn't lead the army or approve laws. The parliament could only be dissolved by a public vote.

In 1934, a new constitution brought back the Prime Minister role. This time, the head of state was also called the State Elder. This new State Elder had more power. They could choose and remove the prime minister and the government. They could also stop laws and dissolve the parliament.

Konstantin Päts was the Prime Minister at this time. He took on the duties of the State Elder. He then made some changes to stop a political movement. He paused the full use of the 1934 Constitution. He didn't hold elections for the new head of state and stopped the parliament. Päts remained in charge until 1937. From 1937 to 1938, he was called the President-regent.

The 1938 Constitution kept the Prime Minister role. The head of state was finally called the President. After Estonia became free from Soviet occupation in 1991, the 1992 Constitution brought back the Prime Minister and President roles. This system is similar to the one from 1938 to 1940.

Who Has Been Prime Minister?

1918–1920 Leaders

Picture Name Time in Office Political Party Government Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
Head of State
Started Ended Days
The Provisional Government created the role of Prime Minister.
Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
Leader of the Provisional Government
24 February 1918 12 November 1918 440 Country People's Union
(EMRL)
Päts I Provisional
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP
Provisional
Provincial
Assembly
(1917)
None
Prime Minister
of the Provisional Government
12 November 1918 27 November 1918 Päts II Provisional
EMRL–ETE–EDE
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP
27 November 1918 9 May 1919 Päts III Provisional
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP–SEE
EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP–SEE–VKK
EMRL–ETE–ERE–ESDTP–SEE–VKK
1 Prime minister Otto Strandman.jpg Otto August Strandman
(1875–1941)
1st Prime Minister
9 May 1919 18 November 1919 194 Labour Party
(ETE)
Strandman I
ETE–ESDTP–ERE
ETE–ESDTP
Constituent
Assembly
(1919)
2 Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
2nd Prime Minister
18 November 1919 28 July 1920 254 People's Party
(ERE)
Tõnisson I
ERE–ETE–ESDTP
ERE–ETE–(ESDTP)
3 Ado Birk (cropped).jpg Ado Birk
(1883–1942)
3rd Prime Minister
28 July 1920 30 July 1920 3 People's Party
(ERE)
Birk
ERE–ETE–KRE
4 Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
4th Prime Minister
(2nd term)
30 July 1920 26 October 1920 89 People's Party
(ERE)
Tõnisson II
ERE
5 Ants Piip, 1923.jpg Ants Piip
(1884–1942)
5th Prime Minister
26 October 1920 20 December 1920 92 Labour Party
(ETE)
Piip
ETE
The 1920 Constitution changed the office to State Elder.

1934–1937 Leaders

Picture Name Time in Office Political Party Government Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
Head of State
Started Ended Days
The 1934 Constitution created a new State Elder and a Prime Minister.
6 Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)

6th Prime Minister
(also acting as State Elder)

24 January 1934 3 September 1937 1,319 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts V
non-party coalition
V
(1932)
Prime Minister
acting as
the State Elder
Konstantin
Päts
None
Parliament
paused
The 1938 Constitution temporarily combined the State Elder and Prime Minister roles into President-Regent.

1938–1944 Leaders

Picture Name Time in Office Political Party Government Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
Head of State
Started Ended Days
The 1938 Constitution separated the President-Regent role into a President and a Prime Minister.
7 Kaarel Eenpalu.jpg Kaarel Eenpalu
(formerly Karl August Einbund)
(1888–1942)
Acting Prime Minister
24 April 1938 9 May 1938 537 None
Päts V
(continued)
non-party coalition
Parliament
paused
President
Konstantin
Päts

(1938–1940)
7th Prime Minister
(2nd term)
9 May 1938 12 October 1939 Eenpalu II
non-party coalition
VI
(1938)
8 Jüri Uluots.jpg Jüri Uluots
(1890–1945)
8th Prime Minister
12 October 1939 21 June 1940
254 None
Uluots
non-party coalition
First Soviet Occupation (1940–1941)
German Occupation (1941–1944)
Otto Tief.jpg Otto Tief
(1889–1976)
Acting Prime Minister
18 September 1944
25 September 1944
8 None Tief
non-party coalition
Parliament
disbanded
Prime Minister
acting as
the President
Jüri Uluots
Second Soviet Occupation
(See Estonian Government in Exile § List of Acting Prime Ministers)

1990–Present Leaders

Picture Name Time in Office Political Party Government Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
Head of State
Started Ended Days
Second Soviet Occupation
(See Estonian Government in Exile)
RK Edgar Savisaar.jpg Edgar Savisaar
(1950–2022)
1st Prime Minister
of the Interim Government
3 April 1990
29 January 1992 668 Popular Front of Estonia
(RR)

Estonian People's Centre Party
(ERKE)
Savisaar Interim
various coalition partners
Supreme
Soviet
(1990)
Chairman of the
Supreme Soviet
Chairman of the
Supreme Council
Arnold Rüütel
Tiit Vähi teisel Arvamusfestivalil Narvas.jpg Tiit Vähi
(born 1947)
2nd Prime Minister
of the Interim Government
29 January 1992 21 October 1992 266 None Vähi Interim
various coalition partners
President
Lennart Georg Meri
(1992–2001)
9 Mart Laar.png Mart Laar
(born 1960)
9th Prime Minister
21 October 1992 8 November 1994 749 Pro Patria
(I)

Pro Patria National Coalition Party
(RKEI)
Laar I

IM–ERSP
RKEI–M–ERSP
RKEI–M–ERSP–ELDP
RKEI–M–ERSP–(ELDP)
RKEI–M–ERSP–ELDP

VII
(1992)
10 Andres Tarand 12.4.2012.jpg Andres Tarand
(born 1940)
10th Prime Minister
8 November 1994 17 April 1995 161 Moderates
(M)
Tarand
M–RKEI–ERSP–ELDP–VKRE
11 Tiit Vähi teisel Arvamusfestivalil Narvas.jpg Tiit Vähi
(born 1947)
11th Prime Minister
(2nd term)
17 April 1995 6 November 1995 701 Coalition Party and
Country People's Alliance

(KMÜ)
Vähi I
KMÜKE
VIII
(1995)
6 November 1995 17 March 1997 Vähi II
KMÜ–REF
KMÜ
KMÜAP
12 Siimann Mart.IMG 2960.JPG Mart Siimann
(born 1946)
12th Prime Minister
17 March 1997 25 March 1999 739 Coalition Party and
Country People's Alliance

(KMÜ)
Siimann
KMÜ–AP
13 Mart Laar.png Mart Laar
(born 1960)
13th Prime Minister
(2nd term)
25 March 1999 28 January 2002 1,041 Pro Patria Union
(IL)
Laar II
IL–M–REF
IX
(1999)
President
Arnold Rüütel
(2001–2006)
14 Kallas Siim.IMG 3350.JPG Siim Kallas
(born 1948)
14th Prime Minister
28 January 2002 10 April 2003 438 Reform Party
(REF)
S. Kallas
REF–KE
15 Juhan-Parts.jpg Juhan Parts
(born 1966)
15th Prime Minister
10 April 2003 12 April 2005 735 Res Publica Party
(RES)
Parts
RES–REF–RL
X
(2003)
16 Portrait Andrus Ansip.jpg Andrus Ansip
(born 1956)
16th Prime Minister
12 April 2005 5 April 2007 3,271 Reform Party
(REF)
Ansip I
REF–KE–RL
President
Toomas Hendrik Ilves
(2006–2016)
5 April 2007 6 April 2011 Ansip II
REF–IRL–SDE
REF–IRL
XI
(2007)
6 April 2011 26 March 2014 Ansip III
REF–IRL
XII
(2011)
17 RE Taavi Rõivas.jpg Taavi Rõivas
(born 1979)
17th Prime Minister
26 March 2014 9 April 2015 973 Reform Party
(REF)
Rõivas I
REF–SDE
9 April 2015 23 November 2016 Rõivas II
REF–SDE–IRL
XIII
(2015)
President
Kersti Kaljulaid
(2016–2021)
18 Jüri Ratas 2017-05-25 (cropped).jpg Jüri Ratas
(born 1978)
18th Prime Minister
23 November 2016 29 April 2019 1525 Centre Party
(KE)
Ratas I
KE–SDE–IRL
KE–SDE–I
29 April 2019 26 January 2021 Ratas II
KE–EKRE–I
XIV
(2019)
19 Kaja Kallas (crop).jpg Kaja Kallas
(born 1977)
19th Prime Minister
26 January 2021 14 July 2022 1619 Reform Party
(REF)
K. Kallas I
REF–KE
REF
President
Alar Karis
(2021–)
18 July 2022 17 April 2023 K. Kallas II
REF–SDE–I
17 April 2023 23 July 2024 K. Kallas III
REF–E200–SDE
XV
(2023)
20 Kristen Michal in 2024 (cropped).jpg Kristen Michal
(born 1975)
20th Prime Minister
23 July 2024 Incumbent 345 Reform Party
(REF)
Michal
REF–E200–SDE

Timeline of Leaders

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See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Primer ministro de Estonia para niños

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