The Estonian government has proposed amendments that would extend the period of mandatory military service to 12 months for all conscripts as of 2027, ERR reports. Currently, those who start their military service in the beginning of the year serve for 11 months, while those who start in autumn serve for 8 months. The Ministry…
Estonia’s Ministry of Climate has drawn up a draft bill that would allow building nuclear power plants in the country, ERR reports. The law, which would come into force in January 2027, would task the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority (TTJA) with regulation. Energy Minister Andres Sutt suggested that Estonia could eventually have small…
The Estonian parliament, the Riigikogu, has approved the state budget for 2026 with 51 MPs voting for and 37 against, ERR reports. The government estimates annual budget revenue at EUR 18.6bn and expenditure at EUR 19.5bn. Investments will total EUR 1.3bn, which will be 45% more than in 2025. Then government expects tax revenues to…
Germany-based news outlet Politico has named Estonia’s former prime minister, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, as one of Europe’s most influential people in 2025, ERR reports. Politico’s list ranked Kallas as the 16th most influential person in Europe. She is the only person on the list from the Baltic States. The publication labelled Kallas…
The Estonian government’s job approval continued to be dismal in November 2025, according to the latest Norstat poll for the Institute for Societal Research (YI), ERR reports. Only 28% of eligible voters think that the government is doing a good job, while 66% think that the government is doing its job poorly. Prime Minister Kristen…
Estonia’s ambassador to Kazakhstan, Jaap Ora, has resigned after an uproar over Estonia’s position on Russia’s war against Ukraine, ERR reports. Earlier, Eesti Ekspress reported that during the state visit of Estonian President Alar Karis to Kazakhstan in November 2025, Ora had advised that the president tone down his remarks on Ukraine so as not…
The supervisory council of Estonia’s public broadcaster, Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR), has dismissed its long-term chairman, Rein Veidemann, ERR reports. Earlier, Veidemann had criticised an interview of a same-sex couple with two children that was aired on ETV, saying that the programme ran counter to the values of the majority of Estonians. ERR’s supervisory council elected…
The new chairman of the city council of Estonia’s second-largest city, Tartu, Tõnis Lukas, has declined to join the city council faction of his own party, Fatherland (Isamaa), ERR reports. Lukas refused to be member of the same coalition as social media influencer Kris Kärner, who has made disparaging and threatening comments about Lukas and…
The city council of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, has elected Peeter Raudsepp of the national conservative Fatherland (Isamaa) party as the city’s new mayor, BNS reports. Prior to his election, Raudsepp was director of the Estonian Institute of Economic Research (EKI), ERR reports. He will serve as mayor for two years, after which the mayorship…
