Estonia’s pro-Ukrainian ‘Iron Lady’ Prime Minister Kaja Kallas wins re-election

Kaja Kallas, the Estonian prime Minister, has been re-elected with the largest personal vote in Estonian history.

Estonia’s popular Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, swept to victory in the country’s elections this Sunday, March 5. The centre-right politician won the largest number of personal votes in the political history of Estonia. She is regarded as one of Europe’s strongest pro-Ukrainian voices.

Kallas’s Reform party won 31.2 per cent of the vote which leaves it with 37 MPs in the Estonian parliament out of its 101 seats. That is three seats more than during her previous term.

Speaking today, Monday 6, Kallas said the result showed that Estonians exploited: “overwhelmingly value liberal values, security founded on EU and Nato, and firm support to Ukraine”, adding that she was truly “humble and grateful”.

“Delighted for my friend @kajakallas after today’s victory in the Estonian elections. Since the beginning of the war, Kaja Kallas has been a strong voice for our support of Ukraine. We will keep on working together: for peace with justice, for security. Palju õnne, Kaja”, tweeted Roberta Metsola, the EP President.

Delighted for my friend @kajakallas after today’s victory in the Estonian elections.

Since the beginning of the war, Kaja Kallas has been a strong voice for our support to Ukraine.

We will keep on working together: for peace with justice, for security.

Palju õnne, Kaja 🇪🇺🇪🇪 pic.twitter.com/HI0PY75OlK

— Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) March 5, 2023

When Kaja Kallas was only eleven years old, on a trip to West Berlin her father told her: “Breathe the air of freedom”. This anecdote has marked the Estonian politician who, in 2021, aged just 43, became the first woman in her country to reach the position of Prime Minister.

Her firm stance against Vladimir Putin can be historically traced to the suffering that her family experienced first-hand during the reprisals of the Russian communist regime after WWII. Her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother were deported to Siberia when Kallas’ mother was just a six-month-old baby and they spent 10 years in harsh conditions.

Siim Kallas, her father, was a well-known politician who also worked for the European institutions. He served as one of the Vice-Presidents and Commissioners for Administration, Audit and Anti-Fraud in the European Commission during the presidency of Jose Manuel Durao Barroso and later held the post of Commissioner for Transport. He has also been Prime Minister, President of the Bank of Estonia, and Minister of Finance and Foreign Affairs.

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