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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; 106 years ago (1918-02-24)
Abolished 1940–1991
Salary €7303 monthly
Website https://valitsus.ee

The prime minister of Estonia (Estonian: peaminister) 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 Kristen Michal of the Reform Party. He took the office on 23 July 2024 following the resignation of Kaja Kallas.

The prime minister does not head any specific ministry. Rather, in accordance with the constitution, the prime minister supervises the work of the government. The prime minister's significance and role in the government, and his or her relations with other ministries often depend on the position of the party led by the prime minister vis-à-vis the coalition partners, and on how much influence the prime minister possesses within one's own party. If the prime minister has a strong position within one's party, and the government is made up solely of representatives of that party, the prime minister can enjoy considerable authority. In all crucial national questions, at least formally, the final word rests with the parliament as the legislative power.

Unlike counterparts in other parliamentary republics, the prime minister of Estonia is both de jure and de facto chief executive. This is because the constitution explicitly vests executive power in the government, of which the prime minister is the leader. In most other parliamentary republics, the president is at least nominal chief executive, while bound by convention to act on the cabinet's advice.

History

After Estonia declared independence from the then warring Russian and German Empires in 1918, the Provisional Government of Estonia was led by a Prime Minister until 1920. The 1920 Constitution set up a head of government whose position called the State Elder (riigivanem) and there was no separate head of state. This system was a radically parliamentary system because the State Elder could be dismissed by the Riigikogu with a simple majority. Moreover, the State Elder was not the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, nor could they ratify laws or dissolve the Riigikogu. The dissolution of Parliament was only possible through a referendum. Under the 1934 Constitution passed by plebiscite, the position of Prime Minister was recreated as head of government in a more presidential system. Under this constitution, the head of state took the name State Elder (riigivanem) identical to the name for the 1920–1934 head of government. The newly established head of state could appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister and Cabinet, veto laws, give decrees (statutes) and dissolve the Riigikogu. The incumbent Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder of Estonia Konstantin Päts, staged a self-coup to counter the threat of the Vaps Movement and suspended the full implementation of the 1934 Constitution, not going ahead with elections for the new head of state and suspending the parliament. Päts remained the Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder 1934–1937, and as President-regent (riigihoidja) for 1937–1938. According to the 1938 Constitution, the position of the Prime Minister was retained, while the head of state was finally renamed the President under a presidential system. The 1992 Constitution after the Soviet occupation reinstated the 1938–1940 positions of Prime Minister and President under a parliamentary system.

List

1918–1920

Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
Head of State
Took office Left office Days
The executive order of the Provisional Government and the Council of Elders of the Provincial Assembly replaced the office of Chairman of the Council of Ministers.
Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers
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 replaced the office with State Elder.

1934–1937

Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
Head of State
Took office Left office Days
The 1934 Constitution divided the office of State Elder between a new office called State Elder and a Prime Minister.
6 Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)

6th Prime Minister
(in duties of the State Elder)

24 January 1934 3 September 1937 1,319 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts V
non-party coalition
V
(1932)
Prime Minister
in duties of
the State Elder
Konstantin
Päts
None
Parliament
suspended
The Amendment Act of the 1938 Constitution temporarily merged the offices of State Elder and Prime Minister into President-Regent.

1938–1944

Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
Head of State
Took office Left office Days
The 1938 Constitution divided the office of President-Regent between 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
suspended
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
1st 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
in duties of
the President
Jüri Uluots
2nd Soviet Occupation
(See Estonian Government in Exile#List of Acting Prime Ministers § Notes)

1990–present

Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
Head of State
Took office Left office Days
2nd Soviet Occupation
(See Estonian Government in Exile)
Edgar Savisaar (1992) (417648 ERM Fk3051 17387 417648).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 1411 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 137 Reform Party
(REF)
Michal
REF–E200–SDE

Timeline

Kristen Michal Kaja Kallas Jüri Ratas Taavi Rõivas Andrus Ansip Juhan Parts Siim Kallas Mart Siimann Andres Tarand Mart Laar Tiit Vähi Edgar Savisaar Otto Tief Jüri Uluots Kaarel Eenpalu Ants Piip Ado Birk Jaan Tõnisson Otto August Strandman Konstantin Päts

See also

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

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