Minister of Defence (Estonia)
| Minister of Defence | |
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| Ministry of Defence | |
| Style | Mister |
| Appointer | Taavi Rõivas |
| Inaugural holder | Märt Rask |
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Estonia |
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The Minister of Defence (Estonian: Kaitseminister) is the senior minister at the Ministry of Defence (Kaitseministeerium) in the Estonian Government. The Minister is one of the most important members of the Estonian government, with responsibility for coordinating the governments policies on national defence and the military forces.
The Defence Minister is chosen by the Prime Minister as a part of the government. The current Defence Minister is Hannes Hanso.
When the position was originally established in 1918, it was called the Minister of War (Sõjaminister). The post was renamed Minister of Defence on April 1, 1929, but would change back to Minister of War in 1937. Though the name of the position, and subsequently the ministry, was changed the main responsibilities of the position remained virtually unchanged.
Since Estonia regained its independence in 1991 the post has been known as the Minister of Defence.
List of Ministers
1918 to 1929 (Minister of War)
| Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party | |
| 1 | Andres Larka | February 24, 1918 | November 27, 1918 | |
| 2 | Konstantin Päts | November 27, 1918 | May 8, 1919 | |
| 3 | Otto Strandman | May 8, 1919 | November 18, 1919 | |
| 4 | August Hanko | November 18, 1919 | July 28, 1920 | |
| 5 | Aleksander Tõnisson | July 28, 1920 | October 26, 1920 | |
| 6 | Ants Piip | October 26, 1920 | January 25, 1921 | |
| 7 | Jaan Soots | January 25, 1921 | August 2, 1923 | |
| 8 | Ado Anderkopp | August 2, 1923 | February 19, 1924 | |
| 9 | Oskar Amberg | March 26, 1924 | October 18, 1924 | |
| 10 | Hans Kurvits | November 11, 1924 | November 26, 1924 | |
| Jaan Soots (2nd time) | December 16, 1924 | March 4, 1927 | ||
| 11 | Nikolai Reek | March 4, 1927 | December 4, 1928 | |
| 12 | Mihkel Juhkam | December 4, 1928 | March 31, 1929 |
1929 to 1937 (Minister of Defence)
| Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party | |
| Mihkel Juhkam | April 1, 1929 | July 9, 1929 | ||
| 13 | Oskar Köster | July 9, 1929 | February 12, 1931 | |
| 14 | August Kerem | February 12, 1931 | November 19, 1932 | |
| Aleksander Tõnisson (2nd time) | November 1, 1932 | May 18, 1933 | ||
| August Kerem (2nd time) | May 18, 1933 | October 21, 1933 | ||
| 15 | Paul Lill | October 21, 1933 | February 28, 1937 |
1937 to 1940 (Minister of War)
| Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party | |
| Paul Lill | March 1, 1937 | October 12, 1939 | ||
| Nikolai Reek (2nd time) | October 12, 1939 | 1940 |
1992 to Present (Minister of Defence)
| Name | Took Office | Left Office | Party | |
| Uno Veering (acting) | 1992 | 1992 | ||
| 16 | Ülo Uluots | 1992 | 1992 | Popular Front of Estonia |
| 17 | Hain Rebas | 1992 | 1993 | Estonian National Independence Party |
| 18 | Jüri Luik | 1993 | 1994 | Pro Patria Union |
| 19 | Indrek Kannik | 1994 | 1994 | Pro Patria Union |
| 20 | Enn Tupp | 1994 | 1995 | Pro Patria Union |
| 21 | Andrus Öövel | 1995 | 1999 | Estonian Coalition Party |
| Jüri Luik (2nd time) | 1999 | 2002 | Pro Patria Union | |
| 22 | Sven Mikser | 2002 | 2003 | Estonian Centre Party |
| 23 | Margus Hanson | 2003 | 2004 | Estonian Reform Party |
| 24 | Jaak Jõerüüt | 2004 | 2005 | Estonian Reform Party |
| 25 | Jürgen Ligi | 2005 | 2007 | Estonian Reform Party |
| 26 | Jaak Aaviksoo | 2007 | 2011 | Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica |
| 27 | Mart Laar | 2011 | 2012 | Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica |
| 28 | Urmas Reinsalu | 2012 | 2014 | Union of Pro Patria and Res Publica |
| Sven Mikser (2nd time) | 2014 | 2015 | Social Democratic Party | |
| 29 | Hannes Hanso | 2015 | Social Democratic Party |