List of heads of government of Estonia

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).

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

Portrait		Name	Term of Office			Political Party	Cabinet	Riigikogu (Election)	Separate Head of State
			Took Office	Left Office	Days
		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–ER–ESDTP–SEE–VKK
			Declaration of Independence by the Estonian Salvation Committee of the Council of Elders of the Estonian Provincial Assembly (24.02), effective in Tallinn and a few other places. Appointment of the Estonian Provisional Government (24.02), followed by German occupation (25.02–11.11). Disappearance (28.03) and likely execution (2.05) of Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Courts Jüri Vilms in Finland. British (3.05), French (13.05) and Italian (29.05) provisional de facto recognition of the underground Estonian Provisional Government. Imprisonment of Päts in German-occupied Estonia, Latvia and Belarus (11.06–17.11). Underground activity headed by Minister of Foreign Affairs and acting Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Jaan Poska (from 11.06). German handing over of de facto power to the Estonian Provisional Government (11.–14.11). Founding of the Defence League (11.11). Appointment of Päts II Provisional Government cabinet with renewed ministerial portfolios (12.11), provisionally headed by Deputy Prime Minister Jaan Poska. Founding of the Defence Forces (12.11). German provisional de facto recognition of Estonian independence (19.11) and handing over of de jure power to the Estonian Provisional Government (19.–21.11). Return of Päts from imprisonment in German-occupied Belarus (20.11). Appointment of Päts III Provisional Government cabinet with renewed ministerial portfolios (27.11). The Provisional Provincial Assembly temporarily delegated legislative power to the Provisional Government (27.11). Russian SFSR invasion of Estonia and beginning of the Estonian War of Independence (28.11). Dual power with the Commune of the Working People of Estonia (29.11.1918–31.01.1919). Delivery of first foreign loan of 10 million Finnish markka from Finland (10.12). British naval (from 12.12) and Finnish (from 30.12), Swedish (from 13.02) and Danish voluntary assistance (from 4.04.1919) in the war. Successful Estonian counteroffensive (from 7.01.1919). Annexation of Ruhnu Island into Estonia (17.01). Liberation of Estonian territory (by 31.01). Suppression of an anti-war revolt in Saaremaa (16.–21.02). Alliance treaty with Latvia (18.02). Loss of power to left-wing parties at the 1919 elections (5.–7.04). Resigned after the convening of the Estonian Constituent Assembly (23.04).
		Otto August Strandman (1875–1941) 1st Prime Minister	9 May 1919	18 November 1919	194	Labour Party (ETE)	Strandman I ETE–ESDTP–ER ETE–ESDTP	Constituent Assembly (1919)
			First cabinet appointed after elections in independent Estonia. War against the Baltische Landeswehr (5.06–3.07). Adoption of the temporary regime of government (4.07). The Estonian People's Party (ER) left the coalition (20.09). Adoption of the radical Agrarian Reform Act confiscating and redistributing the mostly Baltic German estates (10.10). Disarmament of White movement forces in Estonia (from 11.11). Resigned without explanation (
		Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941?) 2nd Prime Minister	18 November 1919	28 July 1920	254	People's Party (ER)	Tõnisson I ER–ETE–ESDTP ER–ETE
			Peace talks with the Russian SFSR (from 5.12.1919). Tensions with Latvia due to a border dispute (24.12.1919–22.03.1920). Signing (31.12.1919) and implementation (3.01.1920) of an armistice with the Russian SFSR. Signing (2.02) and ratification (13.02) of the Tartu Peace Treaty, ending the War of Independence and mutually first recognition of the independence of Estonia and the Russian SFSR. Finnish recognition of Estonian independence (7.06). Adoption of the Abolition of Nobility Act (9.06). Adoption of the first constitution (15.06). The Estonian Social Democratic Workers' Party (ESDTP) left the coalition (1.07). Establishment of the Estonian-Latvian border (1.–3.07). Resigned after failing to replace ESDTP as a coalition partner.
	File:AaduBirk.jpg	Ado Birk (1883–1942) 3rd Prime Minister	28 July 1920	30 July 1920	3	People's Party (ER)	Birk ER–ETE–KRE
			Minority government which resigned on the same day and never took office, but was not immediately replaced by the Riigikogu. Previous Prime Minister Jaan Tõnisson was nominated acting Prime Minister (29.07) and was voted into office the next day. Birk cabinet remains the shortest in Estonian history.
		Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941?) 4th Prime Minister (2nd term)	30 July 1920	26 October 1920	89	People's Party (ER)	Tõnisson II ER
	File:Ants Piip.jpg	Ants Piip (1884–1942) 5th Prime Minister	26 October 1920	20 December 1920	92	Labour Party (ETE)	Piip ETE	I (1920)
		1st State Elder	20 December 1920	25 January 1921
		Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 2nd State Elder (2nd term)	25 January 1921	21 November 1922	666	Farmers' Assemblies (PK)	Päts I PK–ETE–ER–KRE PK–ER–KRE
	File:Juhan Kukk.jpg	Juhan Kukk (1885–1942) 3rd State Elder	21 November 1922	2 August 1923	255	Labour Party (ETE)	Kukk ETE–PK–ER ETE–PK–(ER)
		Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 4th State Elder (3rd term)	2 August 1923	26 March 1924	238	Farmers' Assemblies (PK)	Päts II PK–KRE–ER–ETE PK–KRE–ER	II (1923)
		Friedrich Karl Akel (1871–1941) 5th State Elder	26 March 1924	16 December 1924	266	Christian People's Party (KRE)	Akel KRE–ETE–ER
	File:JüriJaakson.jpg	Jüri Jaakson (1870–1942) 6th State Elder	16 December 1924	15 December 1925	365	People's Party (ER)	Jaakson ER–PK–ESDTP–ETE–KRE ER–PK–ESTP–ETE–KRE
	File: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–ER–ÜMSL	III (1926)
			4 March 1927	9 December 1927			Teemant III PK–ARVK–ER–KRE–ÜMSL
		Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941?) 8th State Elder (3rd term)	9 December 1927	4 December 1928	362	People's Party (ER)	Tõnisson III ER–PK–ARVK–ETE
		August Rei (1886–1963) 9th State Elder	4 December 1928	9 July 1929	218	Socialist Workers' Party (ESTP)	Rei ESTP–ARVK–ETE–KRE
		Otto August Strandman (1875–1941) 10th State Elder (2nd term)	9 July 1929	12 February 1931	584	Labour Party (ETE)	Strandman II ETE–ARVK–PK–KRE–ER	IV (1929)
		Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 11th State Elder (4th term)	12 February 1931	19 February 1932	373	Farmers' Assemblies (PK)	Päts III PK–ER–ESTP
	File:Jaan Teemant.jpg	Jaan Teemant (1872–1941?) 12th State Elder (2nd term)	19 February 1932	19 July 1932	152	Union of Farmers' Assemblies, Farmers, Settlers and Smallholders (PK/PAVK)	Teemant IV PK/PAVK–RKE
	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-09721, Karl Einbund.jpg	Karl August Einbund (later Kaarel Eenpalu) (1888–1942) 13th State Elder	19 July 1932	1 November 1932	106	Union of Farmers' Assemblies, Farmers, Settlers and Smallholders (PK/PAVK)	Einbund I PK/PAVK–RKE	V (1932)
		Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 14th State Elder (5th term)	1 November 1932	18 May 1933	199	Union of Farmers' Assemblies, Farmers, Settlers and Smallholders (PK/PAVK)	Päts IV PK/PAVK–RKE–ESTP
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Estonian Centre Party/meta/color; color:white"|		Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941?) 15th State Elder (4th term)	18 May 1933	21 October 1933	157	National Centre Party (RKE)	Tõnisson IV RKE–PAVK
		Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 16th State Elder	21 October 1933	24 January 1934	1,647	Farmers' Assemblies (PK)	Päts V non-party coalition
		6th Prime Minister (in duties of the State Elder)	24 January 1934	3 September 1937					Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder Konstantin Päts
						None		Parliament disbanded
		President-Regent (6th term)	3 September 1937	24 April 1938					None
	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-09721, Karl Einbund.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		President Konstantin Päts (1938–1940)
		7th Prime Minister (2nd term)	9 May 1938	12 October 1939			Eenpalu II non-party coalition	VI (1938)
		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)
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;"|		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 (1944–1991) (See Estonian Government in Exile)
rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Estonian Centre Party/meta/color; color:white"|		Edgar Savisaar (b. 1950) 1st Prime Minister of the Interim Government	3 April 1990	29 January 1992	668	Popular Front (RR)	Savisaar Interim various coalition partners	Supreme Soviet (1990)	Chairman of the Supreme Soviet
Chairman of the Supreme Council Arnold Rüütel
	rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Independent (politician)/meta/color;"|		Tiit Vähi (b. 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)
	rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Pro Patria Union/meta/color;"|		Mart Laar (b. 1960) 9th Prime Minister	21 October 1992	8 November 1994	749	Pro Patria (I) Pro Patria National Coalition Party (RKEI)	Laar I I–M–ERSP RKEI–M–ERSP RKEI–M–ERSP–ELDP RKEI–M–ERSP RKEI–M–ERSP–ELDP	VII (1992)
	rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Social Democratic Party (Estonia)/meta/color; color:white"|		Andres Tarand (b. 1940) 10th Prime Minister	8 November 1994	17 April 1995	161	Moderates (M)	Tarand M–RKEI–ERSP–ELDP–VKRE
	rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Estonian Coalition Party/meta/color; color:white"|		Tiit Vähi (b. 1947) 11th Prime Minister (2nd term)	17 April 1995	6 November 1995	701	Coalition Party's and Country People's Alliance (KMÜ)	Vähi I KMÜ–K	VIII (1995)
	17 April 1995			6 November 1995	Vähi II KMÜ–ER KMÜ–AP
	rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Estonian Coalition Party/meta/color; color:white"|		Mart Siimann (b. 1946) 12th Prime Minister	17 March 1997	25 March 1999	739	Coalition Party's and Country People's Alliance (KMÜ)	Siimann KMÜ–AP
	rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Pro Patria Union/meta/color;"|		Mart Laar (b. 1960) 13th Prime Minister (2nd term)	25 March 1999	28 January 2002	1,041	Pro Patria Union (IL)	Laar II IL–RM–ER	IX (1999)
President Arnold Rüütel (2001–2006)
	rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Estonian Reform Party/meta/color;"|		Siim Kallas (b. 1948) 14th Prime Minister	28 January 2002	10 April 2003	438	Reform Party (ER)	Kallas ER–K
	rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Res Publica Party/meta/color; color:white"|		Juhan Parts (b. 1966) 15th Prime Minister	10 April 2003	12 April 2005	735	Res Publica Party (RP)	Parts RP–ER–ERL	X (2003)
	rowspan=5 style="background:Template:Estonian Reform Party/meta/color;"|		Andrus Ansip (b. 1956) 16th Prime Minister	12 April 2005	5 April 2007	3,271	Reform Party (ER)	Ansip I ER–K–ERL
President Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2006–2016)
	5 April 2007			6 April 2011	Ansip II ER–IRL–SDE ER–IRL			XI (2007)
	6 April 2011			26 March 2014	Ansip III ER–IRL			XII (2011)
	rowspan=4 style="background:Template:Estonian Reform Party/meta/color;"|		Taavi Rõivas (b. 1979) 17th Prime Minister	26 March 2014	9 April 2015	973	Reform Party (ER)		Rõivas I ER–SDE
	9 April 2015			23 November 2016	Rõivas II ER–SDE–IRL			XIII (2015)
President Kersti Kaljulaid (2016–incumbent)
	rowspan="2" style="background:Template:Estonian Centre Party/meta/color;"|		Jüri Ratas (b. 1978) 18th Prime Minister	23 November 2016	Incumbent	2963	Centre Party (K)		Ratas K–SDE–IRL

Statistics

Time in office

A total of 23 people have headed the Government of Estonia, 15 before and 8 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, 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 3 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), Mart Laar second (895 days) and Mart Siimann third (739 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.