Estonia’s Reform Party has reelected Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as its chairperson, despite widespread calls for her resignation following a scandal involving her husband’s business dealings in Russia. Kallas received two-thirds of the delegates’ support at the party’s general meeting in Tallinn and has continued to lead the Baltic nation as prime minister.
Kallas, who became Estonia’s first female prime minister in January 2021, has been the leader of the Reform Party since April 2018. She has also expressed interest in potentially becoming NATO’s next secretary-general following Jens Stoltenberg’s departure in October 2024.
Despite criticism from some quarters, Kallas has remained committed to her leadership and refuses to resign due to reports that her husband remains a shareholder in a transportation company that continues to operate in Russia following Ukraine’s invasion. The domestic popularity and political credibility of Kallas have taken a hit as a result of this scandal.
As a member of both the EU and NATO, Kallas has been vocal in her support for Ukraine and critical of Russia. Her party scored an overwhelming victory in March’s general election due in part to her strong stance on Russia’s actions in Ukraine. While she initially called for companies operating out of Estonia to stop their activities in Russia, it was reported that her husband had continued his business interests there following the conflict.
Despite these revelations, Kallas insists that she had no knowledge of her husband’s business dealings and will not resign from office. Her position is supported by President Alar Karis and over two-thirds of Estonians surveyed about the matter recently. However, some critics argue that such support is undeserved given the negative impact this scandal has had on domestic politics and foreign relations with neighboring countries like Russia.
In summary, despite facing significant challenges due to this scandal involving her husband’s business dealings with Russia, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas remains committed to leading Estonia forward as prime minister while also expressing interest