Estonian Presidents

General information about Estonia

Government: parliamentary

republic

Head of state: President

Official language: Estonian

Population: 1,342,000

Konstantin Päts

Grew up in a farmer’s family

Graduated from Tartu University as a lawyer

Worked as a lawyer in Tallinn

Took part in establishing the Estonian Republic

How did he become the President?

Päts established an authoritarian rule after a coup in 1934

Päts was the only Presidential candidate and was elected in 1938

President in 1938-1940

Konstantin Päts

In 1940 the Soviet Union occupied the Republic of Estonia and Päts was forced to resign

Päts and his family were taken to Russia

During the next years he lived as a prisoner in Russia and died in a mental hospital in 1954

Konstantin Päts

He became the symbol of independence in occupied Estonia

The Presidential Chain was confiscated by the Soviet power and it is still in Moscow even nowadays

Päts’s remains were brought to

Estonia from Russia and were not buried until Estonia got back its independence (in 1991)

Konstantin Päts

Päts with his wife Helma

At Tahkuranna

Lennart-Georg Meri

Because Meri´s father was a diplomat, he received his primary education abroad

Graduated from Tartu University as a historian

Spoke many languages

He became a famous writer and moviemaker who did research on the Finno-Ugric culture

Was the Prime Minister after Estonia regained its independence

Lennart Meri President in 1992-2001

(two terms)

Popular with intellectuals and young people

Signed a contract with the President of Russia to take the Russian army out of Estonia in 1994

After his death Tallinn airport was named after him

Lennart Meri

Lennart Meri & the Ex-President of Russia Boris Yeltsin Lennart Meri’s stamp

Lennart MeriHe appreciated jokes and joked himself

tooHe was called the camel because he

looked like the camel by Eduard Viiralt

Joke about Lennart Meri

The driver, President Meri’s Commission Officer and President Meri (“meri” means “the sea” in English) were driving along the coastline. The sea smelled badly. Meri asked what was smelling. At first the driver told that it was the sea, but then he was startled and corrected himself by saying “the open sea.” The Commission Officer, whose name was Mr. Avameri (“the open sea” in English), blushed as President Meri remained silent.

Arnold Rüütel

Farmers loved Rüütel because he studied and encouraged farming

Rüütel caused double feelings because he had been on a high position in the Soviet Union

He had good relations with Mikhail Gorbachev, the head of state of the Soviet Union, and helped to restore Estonian independence

Arnold Rüütel

President in 2001-2006

His wife Ingrid Rüütel is internationally known as a folklore specialist

Arnold Rüütel

Rüütel with UN Ex-Secretary-General Kofi Annan

Rüütel with Uspensky, the Russian Embassador to Estonia

Toomas Hendrik Ilves Was born in Stockholm,

Sweden in the family of Estonian emigrants

Lived and got his education in the USA

Came to Estonia when Estonia was independent again

Has been the Foreign Minister of Estonia

Toomas Hendrik Ilves

Collected over70,000 votes in the elections for the European Parliament

Ilves became the President in 2006

Foreign visits

Toomas Hendrik Ilves

Restored his forefathers’ farmhouse which boasts doors painted in the pattern of the Estonian national dress and some guest-rooms named after other presidents (Päts & Meri)

The Soft and Furry

This is a TV show about Estonian politicians which criticises our politics

Our Presidents are also in the show

Arnold Rüütel

Ilves and the Rabbit

The Pig

The Wolf

Kadriorg Palace The Presidential residence of Estonia

Thank you!