# 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 | Portrait | Name | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Cabinet | Riigikogu (Election) | Separate head of state |
| Portrait | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Days | Political party | Cabinet | Riigikogu (Election) | Separate head of state |
| — | | 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 | 440 | Country People's Union (EMRL) | Päts II Provisional EMRL–ETE–EDE EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP | Provisional Provincial Assembly (1917) | None |
| — | | Prime Minister of the Provisional Government | 27 November 1918 | 9 May 1919 | 440 | Country People's Union (EMRL) | Päts III Provisional EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP–SEE EMRL–ETE–EDE–ESDTP–SEE–VKK EMRL–ETE–ERE–ESDTP–SEE–VKK | Provisional Provincial Assembly (1917) | None |
| 1 | | 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) | None |
| 2 | | 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) | Constituent Assembly (1919) | None |
| 3 | | Ado Birk (1883–1942) 3rd Prime Minister | 28 July 1920 | 30 July 1920 | 3 | People's Party (ERE) | Birk ERE–ETE–KRE | Constituent Assembly (1919) | None |
| 4 | | Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941?) 4th Prime Minister (2nd term) | 30 July 1920 | 26 October 1920 | 89 | People's Party (ERE) | Tõnisson II ERE | Constituent Assembly (1919) | None |
| 5 | | Ants Piip (1884–1942) 5th Prime Minister | 26 October 1920 | 20 December 1920 | 92 | Labour Party (ETE) | Piip ETE | Constituent Assembly (1919) | None |
| 5 | | 1st State Elder | 20 December 1920 | 25 January 1921 | 92 | Labour Party (ETE) | Piip ETE | Constituent Assembly (1919) | None |
| — | | Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 2nd State Elder (2nd term) | 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) | None |
| — | | Juhan Kukk (1885–1942) 3rd State Elder | 21 November 1922 | 2 August 1923 | 255 | Labour Party (ETE) | Kukk ETE–PK–ERE ETE–PK–(ERE) | I (1920) | None |
| — | | Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 4th State Elder (3rd 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) | None |
| — | | Friedrich Karl Akel (1871–1941) 5th State Elder | 26 March 1924 | 16 December 1924 | 266 | Christian People's Party (KRE) | Akel KRE–ETE–ERE | II (1923) | None |
| — | | 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 | II (1923) | None |
| — | | 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 | II (1923) | None |
| — | | Jaan Teemant (1872–1941?) 7th State Elder | 23 July 1926 | 4 March 1927 | 725 | Farmers' Assemblies (PK) | Teemant II PK–ARVK–KRE–ERE–ÜMSL | III (1926) | None |
| — | | Jaan Teemant (1872–1941?) 7th State Elder | 4 March 1927 | 9 December 1927 | 725 | Farmers' Assemblies (PK) | Teemant III PK–ARVK–ERE–KRE–ÜMSL | III (1926) | None |
| — | | Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941?) 8th State Elder (3rd term) | 9 December 1927 | 4 December 1928 | 362 | People's Party (ERE) | Tõnisson III ERE–PK–ARVK–ETE | III (1926) | None |
| — | | August Rei (1886–1963) 9th State Elder | 4 December 1928 | 9 July 1929 | 218 | Socialist Workers' Party (ESTP) | Rei ESTP–ARVK–ETE–KRE | III (1926) | None |
| — | | 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–ERE ETE–ARVK–PK–KRE ETE–PAVK–PK–KRE | IV (1929) | None |
| — | | Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 11th State Elder (4th 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 | IV (1929) | None |
| — | | 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 | IV (1929) | None |
| — | | Jaan Teemant (1872–1941?) 12th State Elder (2nd term) | 19 February 1932 | 19 July 1932 | 152 | United Farmers' Party (ÜPE) | Teemant IV PK/PAVK–RKE ÜPE–RKE | IV (1929) | None |
| — | | 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) | None |
| — | | Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 14th State Elder (5th term) | 1 November 1932 | 18 May 1933 | 199 | United Farmers' Party (ÜPE) | Päts IV ÜPE–RKE–ESTP | V (1932) | None |
| — | | Jaan Tõnisson (1868–1941?) 15th State Elder (4th term) | 18 May 1933 | 21 October 1933 | 157 | National Centre Party (RKE) | Tõnisson IV RKE–PK | V (1932) | None |
| 6 | | Konstantin Päts (1874–1956) 16th State Elder | 21 October 1933 | 24 January 1934 | 1,647 | Farmers' Assemblies (PK) | Päts V non-party coalition | V (1932) | None |
| 6 | | 6th prime minister (in duties of the State Elder) | 24 January 1934 | 3 September 1937 | 1,647 | Farmers' Assemblies (PK) | Päts V non-party coalition | V (1932) | Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder Konstantin Päts |
| 6 | | 6th prime minister (in duties of the State Elder) | 24 January 1934 | 3 September 1937 | 1,647 | None | Päts V non-party coalition | Parliament suspended | Prime Minister in duties of the State Elder Konstantin Päts |
| 6 | | President-Regent (6th term) | 3 September 1937 | 24 April 1938 | 1,647 | None | Päts V non-party coalition | Parliament suspended | None |
| 7 | | 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) |
| 7 | | 7th prime minister (2nd term) | 9 May 1938 | 12 October 1939 | 537 | None | Eenpalu II non-party coalition | VI (1938) | President Konstantin Päts (1938–1940) |
| 8 | | Jüri Uluots (1890–1945) 8th prime minister | 12 October 1939 | 21 June 1940 | 254 | None | Uluots non-party coalition | VI (1938) | President Konstantin Päts (1938–1940) |
| 1st Soviet Occupation (1940–1941) ||||||||||
| German Occupation (1941–1944) ||||||||||
| — | | 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) ||||||||||
| — | | Edgar Savisaar (1950–2022) 1st prime minister of the Interim Government | 3 April 1990 | 29 January 1992 | 668 | Popular Front of Estonia (ERR) Estonian People's Centre Party (ERKE) | Savisaar Interim various coalition partners | Supreme Soviet (1990) | Chairman of the Supreme Soviet |
| — | | Edgar Savisaar (1950–2022) 1st prime minister of the Interim Government | 3 April 1990 | 29 January 1992 | 668 | Popular Front of Estonia (ERR) Estonian People's Centre Party (ERKE) | Savisaar Interim various coalition partners | Supreme Soviet (1990) | Chairman of the Supreme Council Arnold Rüütel |
| — | | Tiit Vähi (b. 1947) 2nd prime minister of the Interim Government | 29 January 1992 | 21 October 1992 | 266 | None | Vähi Interim various coalition partners | Supreme Soviet (1990) | Chairman of the Supreme Council Arnold Rüütel |
| — | | Tiit Vähi (b. 1947) 2nd prime minister of the Interim Government | 29 January 1992 | 21 October 1992 | 266 | None | Vähi Interim various coalition partners | Supreme Soviet (1990) | President Lennart Georg Meri (1992–2001) |
| 9 | | 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–(ELDP) RKEI–M–ERSP–ELDP | VII (1992) | President Lennart Georg Meri (1992–2001) |
| 10 | | Andres Tarand (b. 1940) 10th prime minister | 8 November 1994 | 17 April 1995 | 161 | Moderates (M) | Tarand M–RKEI–ERSP–ELDP–VKRE | VII (1992) | President Lennart Georg Meri (1992–2001) |
| 11 | | Tiit Vähi (b. 1947) 11th prime minister (2nd term) | 17 April 1995 | 6 November 1995 | 701 | Coalition Party and Country People's Alliance (KMÜ) | Vähi I KMÜ–EKE | VIII (1995) | President Lennart Georg Meri (1992–2001) |
| 11 | | Tiit Vähi (b. 1947) 11th prime minister (2nd term) | 6 November 1995 | 17 March 1997 | 701 | Coalition Party and Country People's Alliance (KMÜ) | Vähi II KMÜ–ERE KMÜ KMÜ–AP | VIII (1995) | President Lennart Georg Meri (1992–2001) |
| 12 | | Mart Siimann (b. 1946) 12th prime minister | 17 March 1997 | 25 March 1999 | 739 | Coalition Party and Country People's Alliance (KMÜ) | Siimann KMÜ–AP | VIII (1995) | President Lennart Georg Meri (1992–2001) |
| 13 | | 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–ERE | IX (1999) | President Lennart Georg Meri (1992–2001) |
| 13 | | 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–ERE | IX (1999) | President Arnold Rüütel (2001–2006) |
| 14 | | Siim Kallas (b. 1948) 14th prime minister | 28 January 2002 | 10 April 2003 | 438 | Reform Party (ERE) | S. Kallas ERE–EKE | IX (1999) | President Arnold Rüütel (2001–2006) |
| 15 | | Juhan Parts (b. 1966) 15th prime minister | 10 April 2003 | 12 April 2005 | 735 | Res Publica Party (RP) | Parts RP–ERE–ERL | X (2003) | President Arnold Rüütel (2001–2006) |
| 16 | | Andrus Ansip (b. 1956) 16th prime minister | 12 April 2005 | 5 April 2007 | 3,271 | Reform Party (ERE) | Ansip I ERE–EKE–ERL | X (2003) | President Arnold Rüütel (2001–2006) |
| 16 | | Andrus Ansip (b. 1956) 16th prime minister | 12 April 2005 | 5 April 2007 | 3,271 | Reform Party (ERE) | Ansip I ERE–EKE–ERL | X (2003) | President Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2006–2016) |
| 16 | | Andrus Ansip (b. 1956) 16th prime minister | 5 April 2007 | 6 April 2011 | 3,271 | Reform Party (ERE) | Ansip II ERE–IRL–SDE ERE–IRL | XI (2007) | President Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2006–2016) |
| 16 | | Andrus Ansip (b. 1956) 16th prime minister | 6 April 2011 | 26 March 2014 | 3,271 | Reform Party (ERE) | Ansip III ERE–IRL | XII (2011) | President Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2006–2016) |
| 17 | | Taavi Rõivas (b. 1979) 17th prime minister | 26 March 2014 | 9 April 2015 | 973 | Reform Party (ERE) | Rõivas I ERE–SDE | XII (2011) | President Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2006–2016) |
| 17 | | Taavi Rõivas (b. 1979) 17th prime minister | 9 April 2015 | 23 November 2016 | 973 | Reform Party (ERE) | Rõivas II ERE–SDE–IRL | XIII (2015) | President Toomas Hendrik Ilves (2006–2016) |
| 17 | | Taavi Rõivas (b. 1979) 17th prime minister | 9 April 2015 | 23 November 2016 | 973 | Reform Party (ERE) | Rõivas II ERE–SDE–IRL | XIII (2015) | President Kersti Kaljulaid (2016–2021) |
| 18 | | Jüri Ratas (b. 1978) 18th prime minister | 23 November 2016 | 29 April 2019 | 1525 | Centre Party (EKE) | Ratas I EKE–SDE–IRL EKE–SDE–I | XIII (2015) | President Kersti Kaljulaid (2016–2021) |
| 18 | | Jüri Ratas (b. 1978) 18th prime minister | 29 April 2019 | 26 January 2021 | 1525 | Centre Party (EKE) | Ratas II EKE–EKRE–I | XIV (2019) | President Kersti Kaljulaid (2016–2021) |
| 19 | | Kaja Kallas (b. 1977) 19th prime minister | 26 January 2021 | 14 July 2022 | 1273 | Reform Party (ERE) | K. Kallas I ERE–EKE ERE | XIV (2019) | President Kersti Kaljulaid (2016–2021) |
| 19 | | Kaja Kallas (b. 1977) 19th prime minister | 26 January 2021 | 14 July 2022 | 1273 | Reform Party (ERE) | K. Kallas I ERE–EKE ERE | XIV (2019) | President Alar Karis (2021–Present) |
| 19 | | Kaja Kallas (b. 1977) 19th prime minister | 18 July 2022 | 17 April 2023 | 1273 | Reform Party (ERE) | K. Kallas II ERE–I–SDE | XIV (2019) | President Alar Karis (2021–Present) |
| 19 | | Kaja Kallas (b. 1977) 19th prime minister | 17 April 2023 | 22 July 2024 | 1273 | Reform Party (ERE) | K. Kallas III ERE–E200–SDE | XV (2023) | President Alar Karis (2021–Present) |
| 20 | | Kristen Michal (b. 1975) 20th prime minister | 22 July 2024 | Incumbent | 231 | Reform Party (ERE) | Michal ERE–E200–SDE ERE–E200 | XV (2023) | President Alar Karis (2021–Present) |

## 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.