Estonia's new defense minister expected to be named next week

Estonian Reform Party secretary-general Kristo Enn Vaga said the name of the country's new defense minister should become known next week, once parliament, the Riigikogu, reconvenes. He explained that the new minister cannot officially take office until the Riigikogu has convened, which is set to happen next week.

The first substantial internal discussion on candidates will take place at the party's board meeting on Wednesday. Vaga said several potential candidates are currently being screened, and it should be clear by the end of this week or the start of next week who will be put forward for the position.

Potential candidates

It emerged last week that Prime Minister Kristen Michal had spoken with former Estonian Defence Forces commander Martin Herem about the position. Vaga confirmed the conversation took place but said no formal offer has been made yet. He noted that a broader screening process is underway, involving defense and security policy experts from both inside and outside the party, aimed at restoring credibility in the defense field. Vaga described Herem as one of Estonia's most trusted defense experts and a worthy potential candidate.

According to Vaga, the party is leaning toward bringing in someone from outside the current government rather than reassigning an existing minister, though he did not rule out any option entirely.

Uncertainty over defense committee leadership

Riigikogu Reform Party faction leader Õnne Pillak said that Hanno Pevkur, who stepped down as defense minister last week, may not return to the Riigikogu's national defense committee and could instead join a different committee, such as the constitutional or legal affairs committee, given his earlier experience as justice minister. She said the matter would be discussed next week.

Pevkur announced his resignation as defense minister last Wednesday, having held the post since 2022. Under the coalition agreement, chairmanship of the defense committee belongs to the Eesti 200 party, but the committee currently has no chair after previous head Kalev Stoicescu left Eesti 200 for the Parempoolsed party in early August and was recalled from the position.