Aiino Peebo

**Aiino Peebo** (born 28 March 1985) is an Estian politician who has served as finance minister in the cabinet of Kirsti Aalu-Mäkina since 2020. She has additionally served as leader of the Reform Party since 2017, becoming the first woman to lead the party.

Peebo was born in Otesalu. After graduating from secondary school in 2004, Peebo enrolled in Jõgeküla University, receiving a degree in finance in 2007. After completing her education, Peebo returned to Otesalu and worked in private sector banking and finance. Peebo worked in the industry for five years, until beginning her political career in 2012. She was elected to the Saadikutemaja in the 2012 parliamentary election, later taking her seat on 27 January 2012. After entering parliament, Peebo quickly rose through the ranks of the Reform Party, being appointed as a party spokesperson in May 2013.

In 2017, after a sex scandal involving party leader Jüri Kukk, Kukk resigned and a leadership contest was declared. Peebo and Eliisabet Tamm were the two candidates to declare candidacies, making this the first time a major party leadership contest was contested by solely by women. Peebo went on to win the election, and took office as the first woman to lead the Reform Party. After becoming party leader, Peebo attempted to rebrand the party into one that supported young urban professionals, as opposed to the party's previous image of being supported primarily by wealthy older voters. Additionally, Peebo became a fierce critic of Siimon Liipamaa, frequently appearing in the Estian media in order to criticize actions undertaken by his government. She led the party into the 2020 parliamentary election, where the Reform Party became the third-largest in parliament. After the results of the election, Peebo negotiated a coalition agreement with the Future Forwards political party, and was nominated to serve as finance minister in the cabinet of Kirsti Aalu-Mäkina.

## Early life and education

Peebo was born on 28 March 1985 in Otesalu to parents Gunnar Peebo (born 1953) and Triin Olesk (born 1960). Her father worked as a business executive, while her mother was a homemaker. The family was wealthy, and Peebo was raised in a six-bedroom estate in the town of Pääsuuke. Peebo is an only child.

Peebo began her education in 1991, attending the Ditrovian School of Estland in Otesalu, an international school. She left the school in 2001, enrolling in the prestigious Otesalu Gymnasium II, where she studied an academic program in mathematics. Peebo graduated from the school in 2004, and afterwards enrolled in Jõgeküla University to study finance. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in 2007, and subsequently returned to Otesalu where she worked in private sector banking and finance.

## Political career

### Early politics

Peebo began her foray into politics as a teenager, when she joined the Young Reformers, the youth branch of the Reform Party, in 2002, aged 17. With the Young Reformers, Peebo participated in a number of campaign events and volunteered on behalf of the party. She later began her career in politics in 2012, after being selected to stand as a candidate in the 2012 parliamentary election for the Reform Party on the Otesalu list. Peebo was ultimately elected to parliament, and took her seat in the Saadikutemaja on 27 January 2012.

After being seated in parliament, Peebo began to focus her legislating on economic issues such as taxation and budgeting. Quickly, Peebo began to rise through the ranks of the Reform Party, and by May 2013, was appointed by Jüri Kokk as one of its official party spokespeople in parliament. She was subsequently reelected in the 2016 parliamentary election.

### Reform Party leader

In February 2017, Reform Party leader Jüri Kokk was involved in a sex scandal, after tabloid reports that he had been caught engaging in sexual relations with a male prostitute by his wife. The scandal became a widely-reported news story in Estland, and Kokk tendered his resignation as party leader and from parliament as a whole. In the aftermath of his resignation, a leadership contest was called. Peebo and Eliisabet Tamm were the two candidates to stand in the election, making this the first major leadership election in Estian history contested by solely women candidates. Ultimately, Peebo was elected, and took office as the first woman to lead the Reform Party.

After being elected party leader, Peebo sought to "modernize" the Reform Party. For long, the Reform Party's reputation in Estland was that of a political party that catered to older, wealthier voters, and had little appeal amongst the increasingly politically active younger generation. With Peebo's election as party leader, she began to court young urban professionals, primarily in cities like Otesalu and Jõgeküla, and revolutionized the party. Additionally, Peebo became a fierce critic of Siimon Liipamaa in the Estian media, frequently criticizing his tax rates and government policies.

### Finance minister

Peebo led the Reform Party in the 2020 parliamentary election for the first time, where they were expected to win seats. The election was ultimately a success for the party, becoming the third-largest party represented in parliament. Following the certification of election results, Kirsti Aalu-Mäkina on behalf of the Future Forwards political party opted to open coalition talks with Peebo and the Reform Party to secure a governing majority. A coalition agreement was signed by Peebo and Aalu-Mäkina on 31 January 2020, and Aalu-Mäkina's proposed government was submitted to the president of Estland on 23 February. They took office the following day, with Peebo serving as finance minister.

As finance minister, Peebo is responsible for coordinating the budget and finances of the nation, in addition to overseeing fiscal policy and financial regulations. As finance minister, Peebo is considered one of the most senior ministers of the government and most powerful people in the country. In the position, Peebo has advocated for economically liberal policies that involve cutting tax rates and strengthening markets.

## Personal life

Peebo married Estian lawyer Kalle Ilves in 2011, after dating for three years. They have two daughters together: Meelika (born 2013) and Ivi-Riin (born 2015). The family resides in Otesalu. In addition to her native Estian, Peebo is additionally fluent in Ditrovian, Medish, and Rann.