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Andrus Ansip

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Andrus Ansip (born 1 October 1956), is the current Estonian Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications, leader of the Estonian Reform Party (Estonian: Reformierakond), and Prime Minister designate of Estonia.

Born in Tartu, Ansip graduated from the University of Tartu with a diploma in Chemistry in 1979. Before entering into politics, Ansip was involved in banking and investment. He has served as a Member of the Board of Directors of the People’s Bank of Tartu (Estonian: Rahvapank), Chairman of the Board of Livonia Privatization IF, and CEO of Investment Fund Broker Ltd (Estonian: Fondiinvesteeringu Maakler AS). He also has served as Chairman of the board for Radio Tartu.

In 1998, Ansip was elected as Mayor of Tartu, a position in which he held until 2004, to great popular acclaim and very high ratings in the opinion polls. He had run in previous elections for the Riigikogu, the Estonian Parliament, but had always given up his seat in order to stay Mayor.

However, in 2004, Ansip became Chairman of Reformierakond because the party's founder and most important figure, former Prime Minister Siim Kallas, had become EU Commissioner and Vice President and thus had to move to Brussels. Since then, it was obvious that Ansip would have to move to Tallinn, and a chance opened up when the Minister of Minister of Economic Affairs and Communications in the coalition government of Juhan Parts (which included the Reformierakond) had to resign. Ansip became his successor. His track record as Minister is more difficult to evaluate because of the short duration of his service.

On 4 April 2005, Ansip was charged by President Arnold Rüütel to form a government, following the 24 March 2005 resignation by Prime Minister Juhan Parts. Ansip thus became Prime Minister of Estonia. Negotiations on Toompea ("Cathedral Hill", the historic uptown of Tallinn that is both the seat of the government and parliament) go into the direction of a coalition with the Keskkerakond ("Center Party", populist) and Rahvaliit (Peoples' Party, rural).

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