Politics in Estonia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Estonia is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in the Estonian parliament. Executive power is exercised by the government, which is led by the prime minister. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Estonia is a member of the United Nations, the European Union, and NATO.
The Republic of Estonia gained its independence from the Russian Empire on 24 February 1918 and established diplomatic relations with many countries via membership of the League of Nations. The forcible incorporation of Estonia into the Soviet Union in 1940 was not generally recognised by the international community and the Estonian diplomatic service continued to operate in some countries. Following the restoration of independence from the Soviet Union, Russia was one of the first nations to re-recognize Estonia's independence. Estonia's immediate priority after regaining its independence was the withdrawal of Russian forces from Estonian territory. In August 1994, this was completed. However, relations with Moscow have remained strained primarily because Russia decided not to ratify the border treaty it had signed with Estonia in 1999.
Marina Kaljurand is an Estonian politician and Member of the European Parliament. Kaljurand served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Taavi Rõivas' second cabinet as an independent. Earlier, she served as the Ambassador of Estonia to the United States, Russia, Mexico, Canada, Kazakhstan, and Israel.
Jiang Yu is a Chinese diplomat who serves as the special representative for cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European countries within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. She previously served as the spokesperson within the ministry, and as Chinese ambassador to Albania (2015-2018) and Romania (2019-2012).
The Hellenic Republic recognised the Republic of Estonia on May 19, 1922. Greece never recognised the Soviet annexation of Estonia. Both countries re-established diplomatic relations on October 2, 1991. In April 1997, Estonia has established an embassy in Athens. The Greek embassy in Tallinn opened in January 2005. Estonia has also 4 honorary consulates in Patras, Piraeus, Agios Nikolaos and Thessaloniki. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe, the European Union and NATO.
Foreign relations exist between Australia and Estonia. Australia first recognised Estonia on 22 September 1921. Australia was among the first countries to re-recognise Estonia's independence on 27 August 1991. Both countries re-established diplomatic relations on 21 November 1991.
Ingrid Lukas is an Estonian singer-songwriter, pianist and composer, residing in Switzerland. She featured as part of the Swiss Government's official House of Switzerland entertainment series for athletes and the public at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Kaja Kallas is an Estonian politician and diplomat. She was the first female prime minister of Estonia, a role she held from 2021 until 2024, when she resigned in advance of her appointment as High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The leader of the Estonian Reform Party since 2018, she was a member of parliament (Riigikogu) in 2011–2014, and 2019–2021. Kallas was a member of the European Parliament in 2014–2018, representing the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe. Before her election to Riigikogu, she was a lawyer specialising in European competition law.
Sven Jürgenson is an Estonian diplomat. He served as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York of Estonia from 1998 to 2000 and once again from 2015 to 2022. In 2016, he was also the President of the UNICEF Executive Board at the international level. He served as Ambassador to the United States from 2000 to 2003 and as Ambassador to France from 2010 to 2015.
Arlette Claudine Kpèdétin Dagnon Vignikin is an ambassador of Benin. She has represented her country in the nations of Scandinavia and the Baltic.
Aino Lepik von Wirén is an Estonian diplomat.
Aivo Orav is an Estonian diplomat. Orav is the Permanent Representative of Estonian to the E.U. since 2020. Before that, Orav has been the Head of EU Delegation in Montenegro and Head of EU Delegation in North Macedonia, and Ambassador of Estonia in several countries.
Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi is an Estonian diplomat.
Lembit Uibo is an Estonian diplomat.
Taavi Toom is an Estonian diplomat.
Eve-Külli Kala is an Estonian diplomat.
Harri Tiido is an Estonian diplomat.
Kaja Tael is an Estonian philologist, translator, and diplomat. She is a former Estonian ambassador to the United Kingdom and to Germany, the Estonian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the European Union, and the current Estonian Ambassador at Large for Climate and Energy Policy. In 2023, she became the Estonian ambassador to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
Guo Xiaomei is a Chinese diplomat who is serving as the Chinese ambassador to Estonia since 2023. She previously served as the Chinese ambassador to Madagascar from 2020 to 2023.
