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The State Elder (Estonian: riigivanem), sometimes also translated as Head of State, was the official title of the Estonian head of state from 1920 to 1937. He combined some of the functions held by a president and prime minister in most other democracies.

According to the 1920 Estonian Constitution, which was enforced by the “Constitution of the Republic of Estonia, the Referendum Act and the Citizens’s Initiative Act Implementation Act“ on July 2, 1920, after being approved by the Constituent Assembly on June 16, 1920 (Riigi Teataja August 9, 1920 No. 113/114), the Government of the Republic consisted of the riigivanem (State Elder) and Ministers (Section 58).

The responsibilities of the State Elder were representing the Republic of Estonia, administration and co-ordination of the activities of the Government of the Republic, chairing the Government meetings; the State Elder had the right to make inquiries about the activities of the Ministers (Section 62). The Government of the Republic appointed one of its members the Deputy of the Elder of State.

In practice, the State Elder had very little power. The 1920 constitution was radically parliamentarian in character, and the State Elder could be voted out of office at any time. This limited his ability to play a balancing role between the government and the legislature.

With the 1934 constitution, the institution saw a reform and it became the equivalent of a president only as a separate head of government was to be elected. The 1934 coup by Konstantin Päts resulted in the institution never coming to real life as he ruled as the Prime Minister in Duties of the State Elder until 1937.

State Elders of the Republic of Estonia, 1920–1934

Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Riigikogu
(Election)
Took office Left office Days
The 1920 Constitution replaced the office of Prime Minister.
1 Ants Piip, 1923.jpg Ants Piip
(1884–1942)
1st State Elder
20 December 1920 25 January 1921 92 Labour Party
(ETE)
Piip
ETE
Constituent
Assembly
(1919)
2 Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
2nd State Elder
25 January 1921 21 November 1922 666 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts I
PK–ETE–ERE–KRE
PK–(ETE)–ERE–KRE
PK–ERE–KRE
I
(1920)
3 Juhan Kukk
(1885–1942)
3rd State Elder
21 November 1922 2 August 1923 255 Labour Party
(ETE)
Kukk
ETE–PK–ERE
ETE–PK–(ERE)
4 Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
4th State Elder
(2nd term)
2 August 1923 26 March 1924 238 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts II
PK–KRE–ERE–ETE
PK–KRE–ERE–(ETE)
PK–KRE–ERE
II
(1923)
5 Friedrich Akel.jpg Friedrich Karl Akel
(1871–1941)
5th State Elder
26 March 1924 16 December 1924 266 Christian People's Party
(KRE)
Akel
KRE–ETE–ERE
6 Portree, Eesti Panga president J. Jaakson, AM F 27238-2 (cropped).jpg Jüri Jaakson
(1870–1942)
6th State Elder
16 December 1924 15 December 1925 365 People's Party
(ERE)
Jaakson
ERE–PK–ESDTP–ETE–KRE
ERE–PK–ESTP–ETE–KRE
7 Jaan teemant.jpg Jaan Teemant
(1872–1941?)
7th State Elder
15 December 1925 23 July 1926 725 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Teemant I
PK–ETE–KRE–ARVK
PK–ETE–KRE–ARVK–RVP
23 July 1926 4 March 1927 Teemant II
PK–ARVK–KRE–ERE–ÜMSL
III
(1926)
4 March 1927 9 December 1927 Teemant III
PK–ARVK–ERE–KRE–ÜMSL
8 Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
8th State Elder
9 December 1927 4 December 1928 362 People's Party
(ERE)
Tõnisson III
ERE–PK–ARVK–ETE
9 August Rei (cropped).jpg August Rei
(1886–1963)
9th State Elder
4 December 1928 9 July 1929 218 Socialist Workers' Party
(ESTP)
Rei
ESTP–ARVK–ETE–KRE
10 Prime minister Otto Strandman.jpg Otto August Strandman
(1875–1941)
10th State Elder
9 July 1929 12 February 1931 584 Labour Party
(ETE)
Strandman II
ETE–ARVK–PK–KRE–ERE
IV
(1929)
11 Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
11th State Elder
(3rd term)
12 February 1931 19 February 1932 373 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts III
PK–ERE–ESTP
PK–ERE/(KRE)–ESTP
PK/(PAVK)–ERE/(KRE)–ESTP
PK/(PAVK)–RKE–ESTP
12 Jaan teemant.jpg Jaan Teemant
(1872–1941?)
12th State Elder
(2nd term)
19 February 1932 19 July 1932 152 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Teemant IV
PK/PAVK–RKE
ÜPE–RKE
United Farmers' Party
(ÜPE)
13 Kaarel Eenpalu.jpg Karl August Einbund
(later Kaarel Eenpalu)
(1888–1942)
13th State Elder
19 July 1932 1 November 1932 106 United Farmers' Party
(ÜPE)
Einbund I
ÜPE–RKE
V
(1932)
14 Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
14th State Elder
(4th term)
1 November 1932 18 May 1933 199 United Farmers' Party
(ÜPE)
Päts IV
ÜPE–RKE–ESTP
15 Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
15th State Elder
(2nd term)
18 May 1933 21 October 1933 157 National Centre Party
(RKE)
Tõnisson IV
RKE–ÜPE
16 Konstantin Päts.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
16th State Elder
(5th term)
21 October 1933 24 January 1934 1,647 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts V
non-party coalition
The 1934 Constitution divided the office of State Elder between a new office called State Elder and a Prime Minister.

Acting State Elder of the Republic of Estonia, 1934–1937

Portrait Name Term of office Political party Cabinet Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
head of government
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.
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
disbanded
The Amendment Act of the 1938 Constitution temporarily merged the offices of State Elder and Prime Minister into President-Regent.

See also

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