List of heads of government of Estonia

Last updated

This is a list of people, who have been heads of government of the Republic of Estonia from 1918, either as a Chairman of the Council of Elders (1918), Prime Minister (1918–1920; 1934–1940 and from 1990), State Elder (1920–1934) or President-Regent (1937–1938). The office of prime minister (Peaminister) first came into use soon after Estonia gained its independence in 1918. From 1918 to 1934, Estonia used a parliamentary political system, where the presidency and ministry were subject to parliamentary confidence, but instead of a presidential office, the government was headed by a prime minister and from 1920 to 1934, a similar office called State Elder (Riigivanem).

Contents

The 1934 constitution gave the State Elder the role of the president, with a separate head of government created, restoring the office of prime minister. The new system was obstructed by a 1934 coup d'état by head of government Konstantin Päts. During his authoritarian era (1934–1937), he ruled as both prime minister and State Elder. The latter office was entrusted to him briefly until the presidential elections. In 1937, the two offices were combined into the office of President-Regent (Riigihoidja), but the situation was again changed with the 1938 constitution, when Konstantin Päts gave up the office of prime minister to a new officeholder.

The Soviet occupation of Estonia in 1940 made Johannes Vares the new prime minister of Estonia, but his rule was later declared to have been illegal. According to the 1938 constitution, Prime Minister was to lead the presidency in case the President couldn't be elected, a move that was implemented for the Estonian Government in Exile. The interim government restored the office of prime minister in 1990.

List of heads of government

PortraitNameTerm of officePolitical partyCabinet Riigikogu
(Election)
Separate
head of state
Took officeLeft officeDays
Konstantin Pats.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
Chairman of the Council of Ministers
of the Provisional Government
24 February 191812 November 1918440 Country People's Union
(EMRL)
Päts I Provisional
EMRLETEEDEESDTP
Provisional
Provincial
Assembly
(1917)
None
Prime Minister
of the Provisional Government
12 November 191827 November 1918Päts II Provisional
EMRLETEEDE
EMRLETEEDEESDTP
[Note 1]
27 November 19189 May 1919Päts III Provisional
EMRLETEEDEESDTP
EMRLETEEDEESDTPSEE
EMRLETEEDEESDTPSEEVKK
EMRLETEEREESDTPSEEVKK
[Note 2]
1 Prime minister Otto Strandman.jpg Otto August Strandman
(1875–1941)
1st Prime Minister
9 May 191918 November 1919194 Labour Party
(ETE)
Strandman I
ETEESDTPERE
ETEESDTP
[Note 3]
Constituent
Assembly
(1919)
2 Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
2nd Prime Minister
18 November 191928 July 1920254 People's Party
(ERE)
Tõnisson I
EREETEESDTP
EREETE–(ESDTP)
[Note 4]
3 Ado Birk (cropped).jpg Ado Birk
(1883–1942)
3rd Prime Minister
28 July 192030 July 19203 People's Party
(ERE)
Birk
EREETEKRE
4 Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
4th Prime Minister
(2nd term)
30 July 192026 October 192089 People's Party
(ERE)
Tõnisson II
ERE
5 Ants Piip, 1923.jpg Ants Piip
(1884–1942)
5th Prime Minister
26 October 192020 December 192092 Labour Party
(ETE)
Piip
ETE
1st State Elder20 December 192025 January 1921
Konstantin Pats.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
2nd State Elder
(2nd term)
25 January 192121 November 1922666 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts I
PKETEEREKRE
PK(ETE)EREKRE
PKEREKRE
[Note 5]
I
(1920)
Juhan kukk.jpg Juhan Kukk
(1885–1942)
3rd State Elder
21 November 19222 August 1923255 Labour Party
(ETE)
Kukk
ETEPKERE
ETEPK–(ERE)
[Note 6]
Konstantin Pats.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
4th State Elder
(3rd term)
2 August 192326 March 1924238 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts II
PKKREEREETE
PKKREERE(ETE)
PKKREERE
[Note 7]
II
(1923)
Friedrich Akel.jpg Friedrich Karl Akel
(1871–1941)
5th State Elder
26 March 192416 December 1924266 Christian People's Party
(KRE)
Akel
KREETEERE
Jyri jaakson.jpg Jüri Jaakson
(1870–1942)
6th State Elder
16 December 192415 December 1925365 People's Party
(ERE)
Jaakson
EREPKESDTPETEKRE
EREPKESTPETEKRE
[Note 8]
Jaan teemant.jpg Jaan Teemant
(1872–1941?)
7th State Elder
15 December 192523 July 1926725 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Teemant I
PKETEKREARVK
PKETEKREARVKRVP
[Note 9]
23 July 19264 March 1927Teemant II
PKARVKKREEREÜMSL
III
(1926)
4 March 19279 December 1927Teemant III
PKARVKEREKREÜMSL
Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
8th State Elder
(3rd term)
9 December 19274 December 1928362 People's Party
(ERE)
Tõnisson III
EREPKARVKETE
August Rej.jpg August Rei
(1886–1963)
9th State Elder
4 December 19289 July 1929218 Socialist Workers' Party
(ESTP)
Rei
ESTPARVKETEKRE
Prime minister Otto Strandman.jpg Otto August Strandman
(1875–1941)
10th State Elder
(2nd term)
9 July 192912 February 1931584 Labour Party
(ETE)
Strandman II
ETEARVKPKKREERE
ETEARVKPKKRE
ETEPAVKPKKRE
[Note 10]
IV
(1929)
Konstantin Pats.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
11th State Elder
(4th term)
12 February 193119 February 1932373 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Päts III
PKEREESTP
PKERE/(KRE)–ESTP
PK/(PAVK)–ERE/(KRE)–ESTP
PK/(PAVK)–RKEESTP
[Note 11]
Jaan teemant.jpg Jaan Teemant
(1872–1941?)
12th State Elder
(2nd term)
19 February 193219 July 1932152 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
Teemant IV
PK/PAVKRKE
ÜPERKE
[Note 12]
United Farmers' Party
(ÜPE)
Kaarel Eenpalu.jpg Karl August Einbund
(later Kaarel Eenpalu)
(1888–1942)
13th State Elder
19 July 19321 November 1932106 United Farmers' Party
(ÜPE)
Einbund I
ÜPERKE
[Note 13]
V
(1932)
Konstantin Pats.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
14th State Elder
(5th term)
1 November 193218 May 1933199 United Farmers' Party
(ÜPE)
Päts IV
ÜPERKEESTP
Jaan Tonisson1928.jpg Jaan Tõnisson
(1868–1941?)
15th State Elder
(4th term)
18 May 193321 October 1933157 National Centre Party
(RKE)
Tõnisson IV
RKEPK
6 Konstantin Pats.jpg Konstantin Päts
(1874–1956)
16th State Elder
21 October 193324 January 19341,647 Farmers' Assemblies
(PK)
[Note 14]
Päts V
non-party coalition
[Note 15]
6th prime minister
(in duties of the State Elder)
24 January 19343 September 1937 Prime Minister
in duties of
the State Elder

Konstantin
Päts
None
[Note 16]
Parliament
suspended

[Note 17]
President-Regent
(6th term)
3 September 193724 April 1938None
7 Kaarel Eenpalu.jpg Kaarel Eenpalu
(formerly Karl August Einbund)
(1888–1942)
Acting prime minister
24 April 19389 May 1938537None
[Note 16]
Päts V
(continued)
non-party coalition
[Note 15]
President
Konstantin
Päts

(1938–1940)
7th prime minister
(2nd term)
9 May 193812 October 1939Eenpalu II
non-party coalition
[Note 13]
VI
(1938)
8 Juri Uluots.jpg Jüri Uluots
(1890–1945)
8th prime minister
12 October 193921 June 1940
[Note 18]
254None
[Note 16]
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
[Note 19]
25 September 1944
[Note 20]
8NoneTief
non-party coalition
Parliament
disbanded
Prime Minister
in duties of
the President
Jüri Uluots
[Note 21]
2nd Soviet Occupation (1944–1991)
(See Estonian Government in Exile)
Edgar Savisaar 2005-crop.jpg Edgar Savisaar
(1950–2022)
1st prime minister
of the Interim Government
3 April 1990
[Note 22]
29 January 1992668 Popular Front of Estonia
(ERR)
[Note 23]
Estonian People's Centre Party
(ERKE)
Savisaar Interim
various coalition partners
Supreme
Soviet
(1990)

[Note 24]
Chairman of the
Supreme Soviet
Chairman of the
Supreme Council

Arnold Rüütel
[Note 24]
Tiit Vahi teisel Arvamusfestivalil Narvas.jpg Tiit Vähi
(b. 1947)
2nd prime minister
of the Interim Government
29 January 199221 October 1992266NoneVähi Interim
various coalition partners
President
Lennart Georg Meri
(1992–2001)
[Note 25]
9 Mart Laar.png Mart Laar
(b. 1960)
9th prime minister
21 October 19928 November 1994749 Pro Patria
(I)
[Note 26]
Pro Patria National Coalition Party
(RKEI)
Laar I

I M ERSP
RKEI M ERSP
RKEI M ERSPELDP
RKEI M ERSP–(ELDP)
RKEI M ERSPELDP
[Note 27]
[Note 28]

VII
(1992)
10 Andres Tarand 12.4.2012.jpg Andres Tarand
(b. 1940)
10th prime minister
8 November 199417 April 1995161 Moderates
(M)
[Note 27]
Tarand
M RKEIERSPELDPVKRE
[Note 27]
11 Tiit Vahi teisel Arvamusfestivalil Narvas.jpg Tiit Vähi
(b. 1947)
11th prime minister
(2nd term)
17 April 19956 November 1995701 Coalition Party and
Country People's Alliance

(KMÜ)
Vähi I
KMÜEKE
VIII
(1995)
6 November 199517 March 1997Vähi II
KMÜERE
KMÜ
KMÜ–AP
[Note 29]
12 Siimann Mart.IMG 2960.JPG Mart Siimann
(b. 1946)
12th prime minister
17 March 199725 March 1999739 Coalition Party and
Country People's Alliance

(KMÜ)
Siimann
KMÜ–AP
13 Mart Laar.png Mart Laar
(b. 1960)
13th prime minister
(2nd term)
25 March 199928 January 20021,041 Pro Patria Union
(IL)
Laar II
ILRMERE
IX
(1999)
President
Arnold Rüütel
(2001–2006)
[Note 25]
14 Siim Kallas 2013 (cropped).JPG Siim Kallas
(b. 1948)
14th prime minister
28 January 200210 April 2003438 Reform Party
(ERE)
S. Kallas
EREEKE
15 Juhan-Parts.jpg Juhan Parts
(b. 1966)
15th prime minister
10 April 200312 April 2005735 Res Publica Party
(RP)
Parts
RPEREERL
X
(2003)
16 Portrait Andrus Ansip.jpg Andrus Ansip
(b. 1956)
16th prime minister
12 April 20055 April 20073,271 Reform Party
(ERE)
Ansip I
EREEKEERL
President
Toomas Hendrik Ilves
(2006–2016)
[Note 25]
5 April 20076 April 2011 Ansip II
EREIRLSDE
EREIRL
[Note 30]
XI
(2007)
6 April 201126 March 2014 Ansip III
EREIRL
XII
(2011)
17 RE Taavi Roivas.jpg Taavi Rõivas
(b. 1979)
17th prime minister
26 March 20149 April 2015973 Reform Party
(ERE)
Rõivas I
ERESDE
9 April 201523 November 2016 Rõivas II
ERESDEIRL
XIII
(2015)
President
Kersti Kaljulaid
(2016–2021)
18 Juri Ratas 2017-05.jpg Jüri Ratas
(b. 1978)
18th prime minister
23 November 201629 April 20191525 Centre Party
(EKE)
Ratas I
EKESDEIRL
EKESDEI
[Note 31]
29 April 201926 January 2021 Ratas II
EKEEKREI
XIV
(2019)
19 Kaja Kallas (crop).jpg Kaja Kallas
(b. 1977)
19th prime minister
26 January 202114 July 20221273 Reform Party
(ERE)
K. Kallas I
EREEKE
ERE
[Note 32]
President
Alar Karis
(2021–Present)
18 July 202217 April 2023 K. Kallas II
EREISDE
17 April 202322 July 2024 K. Kallas III
EREE200SDE
XV
(2023)
20 Kristen Michal in 2024 (cropped).jpg Kristen Michal
(b. 1975)
20th prime minister
22 July 2024Incumbent232 Reform Party
(ERE)
Michal
EREE200SDE
EREE200
[Note 33]

Statistics

Time in office

A total of 24 people have headed the Government of Estonia, 13 before and 11 after the Soviet occupation. Konstantin Päts headed the government for the longest, a total of 3,563 days during six different terms (2,059 days without his authoritarian era). Andrus Ansip is the second longest office holder with 3,271 days, having been democratically in office longer than Päts.

The shortest time in office was for Ado Birk, when he served as prime minister for only three days and never actually stepping into office. Acting prime minister Otto Tief was in office for 8 days between the German and Soviet occupations in 1944. Ants Piip, August Rei, Jüri Uluots, Juhan Kukk, Friedrich Karl Akel and Jüri Jaakson were also in office for less than a year.

Number and length of terms

Konstantin Päts served a total of six terms, although his sixth term turned into an authoritarian regime. Jaan Tõnisson was in office four times, although there was just one full day of Ado Birk's cabinet between his first two terms. Otto August Strandman, Jaan Teemant, Karl August Einbund (named Kaarel Eenpalu during his second term in the semi-authoritarian era), Tiit Vähi (first term during the interim period) and Mart Laar all served two terms in office.

Longest average term lengths are all in the reindependence period with Andrus Ansip in the lead (3,271 days), Jüri Ratas second (1,525 days) and Kaja Kallas third (1,273 days). Longest interwar average term is held by Konstantin Päts (594 days). During the interwar democratic era however, longest average term was achieved by Jaan Teemant (439 days), followed by Otto August Strandman (389 days) and by Konstantin Päts himself (383 days).

The era before occupation had the shortest average term lengths with the two extremes of Ado Birk (3 days) and Otto Tief (8 days), but also Ants Piip with 92 days. Jaan Tõnisson also had an average term length of only 216 days. Andres Tarand (with 161 days) and Siim Kallas (with 438 days) have the shortest average term lengths during the reindependence era.

Age at assuming office

Mart Laar was only 32 years old when he became prime minister in 1992. Ado Birk, Ants Piip, Juhan Kukk, Taavi Rõivas, Edgar Savisaar, Mart Laar (2nd term in 1999) and Juhan Parts were also in their 30s when appointed. Jaan Tõnisson was 64 when stepping into office in 1933. The rest were in their 40s or 50s when assuming office, average age at appointment is 48.

Timeline

Kristen MichalKaja KallasJüri RatasTaavi RõivasAndrus AnsipJuhan PartsSiim KallasMart SiimannAndres TarandMart LaarTiit VähiEdgar SavisaarOtto TiefJüri UluotsKaarel EenpaluAugust ReiJaan TeemantJüri JaaksonFriedrich AkelJuhan KukkAnts PiipAdo BirkJaan TõnissonOtto StrandmanKonstantin PätsList of heads of government of Estonia

Notes

  1. The Estonian Social Democratic Workers' Party (ESDTP) joined the coalition on 16 November 1918.
  2. The German Party in Estonia (SEE) joined the coalition on 28 November 1918. The Russian Citizens' Assembly (VKK) joined the coalition on 28 February 1919. The Estonian Democratic Party (EDE) merged with the Estonian Radical Democratic Party (ERDE) to form the Estonian People's Party (ERE) on 1 March 1919 and the new party remained in the coalition.
  3. The Estonian People's Party (ERE) left the coalition on 20 September 1919.
  4. The Estonian Social Democratic Workers' Party (ESDTP) left the coalition on 1 July 1920, but its ministers remained in office.
  5. The Estonian Labour Party (ETE) left the coalition on 13 October 1921. Its ministers resigned on 20 October 1921.
  6. The Minister of Internal Affairs Karl August Einbund, the only representative of the Estonian People's Party (ERE) in the coalition, left the party on 5 March 1923. His former party decided to remain in the coalition without any ministerial positions.
  7. The Estonian Labour Party (ETE) left the coalition on 14 February 1924. Its ministers remained in office until 19 February 1924.
  8. The Estonian Social Democratic Workers' Party (ESDTP) merged with the Independent Socialist Workers' Party (ISTP) and formed the Estonian Socialist Workers' Party (ESTP) on 9 April 1925 and the new party remained in the coalition.
  9. The National Liberal Party (RVP) joined the coalition on 12 January 1926.
  10. The Estonian People's Party (ERE) was asked to leave the coalition on 23 January 1931. The Settlers', State Tenants' and Smallholders' Group (ARVK) formed the Party of Settlers and Farmers (APE) on 30 January 1931 and it became known by the name of its parliament faction Farmers', Settlers' and Smallholders' Group (PAVK).
  11. The parliamentary group of the Estonian People's Party (ERE) merged with the parliamentary group of the Christian People's Party (KRE) on 28 October 1931 and the parliamentary group of the Farmers' Assemblies (PK) with the parliamentary group of the Settlers', State Tenants' and Smallholders' Group (PAVK) on 26 January 1932, with both party coalitions remaining in the coalition. The Estonian People's Party (ERE) and the Christian People's Party (KRE), already in a party coalition, merged with the Estonian Labour Party (ETE) and formed the National Centre Party (RKE) on 29 January 1932. The party remained in the coalition.
  12. The Farmers' Assemblies (PK) and the Settlers', State Tenants' and Smallholders' Group (PAVK), already in a party coalition, merged and formed the United Farmers' Party (ÜPE) on 29 February 1932. The new party remained in the coalition.
  13. 1 2 As Karl August Einbund Estonianized his name into Kaarel Eenpalu, his two cabinets are therefore known as Einbund I and Eenpalu II cabinets.
  14. All political parties were banned on 20 March 1935.
  15. 1 2 Although Konstantin Päts resigned as President-Regent on 24 April 1938 to become the President on the same day, his cabinet remained temporarily in office until 9 May 1938, headed by acting Prime Minister Kaarel Eenpalu.
  16. 1 2 3 Was member of the Patriotic League which was the only sanctioned political organization, but which cannot be considered a political party per se.
  17. After Konstantin Päts' 12 March 1934 self-coup, which was approved by the Riigikogu retroactively on 15 March 1934, the parliament was not convened after 2 October 1934. It was officially disbanded on 1 January 1938 when the new constitution came into force.
  18. The Soviet Union occupied Estonia on 17 June 1940. The Soviet regime staged a pro-Soviet coup d'état on 21 June 1940, replacing the Jüri Uluots cabinet with that of Johannes Vares. The Republic of Estonia does not consider the Johannes Vares cabinet a legal government of Estonia and considers the Jüri Uluots cabinet to have legally remained in office until 18 September 1944.
  19. Prime Minister in the duties of the President Jüri Uluots appointed a new government after the departure of German forces, hoping to restore Estonian independence before the arrival of Soviet forces.
  20. The Soviet Union occupied Estonia on 17 June 1940. The Soviet regime staged a pro-Soviet coup d'état on 21 June 1940, replacing the Jüri Uluots cabinet with that of Johannes Vares. The Republic of Estonia does not consider the Johannes Vares cabinet a legal government of Estonia and considers the Jüri Uluots cabinet to have legally remained in office until 18 September 1944.
  21. The legal Prime Minister Jüri Uluots assumed the role of Prime Minister in the duties of the President on 18 September 1944, after the departure of German forces and before the arrival of Soviet forces.
  22. The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR on 30 March 1990 declared Soviet rule to have been illegal since 1940 and declared a transition period for full independence. Full independence was restored on 20 August 1991.
  23. The Popular Front of Estonia formed the Estonian People's Centre Party on 12 October 1991.
  24. 1 2 The "Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic" was renamed the "Republic of Estonia" on 8 May 1990 and thus the translation of the Ülemnõukogu was changed from "Supreme Soviet" to "Supreme Council".
  25. 1 2 3 President left the party upon assuming office.
  26. The electoral alliance "Pro Patria" formed the Pro Patria National Coalition Party on 21 November 1992.
  27. 1 2 3 The electoral alliance "Moderates" (M) consisted of the Social Democratic Party (ESDP) and the Estonian Rural Centre Party (EMKE).
  28. The Estonian Liberal Democratic Party (ELDP) joined the coalition on 11 January 1994. Its ministers resigned on 21 June 1994, but the party decided to remain in the coalition and named a minister on 27 June 1994.
  29. The Estonian Reform Party (ERE) left the coalition on 1 December 1996. The Progress Party (AP) joined the coalition on 9 December 1996.
  30. The Social Democratic Party (SDE) left the coalition on 21 May 2009.
  31. The Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica was renamed Party Pro Patria on 2 June 2018.
  32. The Estonian Centre Party (EKE) was asked to leave the coalition on 3 June 2022.
  33. The Social Democratic Party (SDE) was asked to leave the coalition on 10 March 2025.