Estonia’s ruling Reform Party has reelected Prime Minister Kaja Kallas as its chairperson, despite widespread calls for her resignation over a scandal involving her husband’s business dealings in Russia.
Kallas, the 46-year-old lawyer, has been the leader of Estonia’s largest political group since April 2018, becoming the country’s first female prime minister in January 2021. She has also expressed interest in becoming the next secretary-general of NATO, as NATO’s current chief, Jens Stoltenberg, is set to step down in October 2024.
Kallas, the daughter of former Estonian Prime Minister Siim Kallas, has been a vocal European supporter of Ukraine and a fierce critic of Russia within the European Union and NATO. Under her leadership, Estonia’s March general election saw Russia’s war in Ukraine as a major theme, which helped her win a new term as prime minister. However, her domestic popularity and political credibility crashed in August after Estonian media reported that her husband had remained a shareholder in a transportation company operating in Russia following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Kallas has refused to resign despite urging it from President Alar Karis.
CENTRAL EASTERN EUROPE NEWS
Estonia’s Kaja Kallas Reelectaed
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