Jürgen Ligi

Jürgen Ligi (2011)

Jürgen Ligi (born July 16, 1959 in Tartu , Estonian SSR ) is an Estonian politician . He was Foreign Minister of the Republic of Estonia from September 12, 2016 to November 23, 2016 . Ligi belongs to the liberal Estonian Reform Party .

Life

Jürgen Ligi was born the son of the Estonian historian Herbert Ligi (1928–1990).

After graduating from school in Tartu in 1977, he studied geography at the State University of Tartu . In 1982 he finished his studies. From 1982 to 1989 he was employed as an economist at a planned economy institute. From 1989 to 1993 he also studied foreign trade at the University of Tartu. From 1989 to 1995 Ligi held various positions at the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry , Kaarma Municipal Council ( Saaremaa Island ) and in banking before moving into active politics.

Political activity

In 1994 Ligi joined the Estonian Reform Party ( Eesti Reformierakond ). From 1995 to 2005 he was a member of the Estonian Parliament ( Riigikogu ) for the Reform Party . From October 2005 to April 2007 Ligi was in the cabinet of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip, Estonian Defense Minister. He advocated the idea of ​​abolishing compulsory military service , but without being able to assert himself.

After the parliamentary elections in 2007 , Ligi left the cabinet and moved back as a member of parliament, where he was, among other things, chairman of the finance committee. After the Social Democrats left the government of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip at the end of May 2009 , Ligi was appointed the new Minister of Finance by President Ilves on June 3, as successor to Ivari Padar (SDE). He took office the following day and kept it in the next government after the 2011 elections .

From March 2014 Ligi held the same office in the social-liberal coalition government under Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas . On October 26, 2014, Ligi submitted his resignation as finance minister after harsh criticism from the president, government and opposition. He had in a Facebook comment born in Estonia in 1986 Russian-born Education and Research Ministers jevgeni ossinovski disparaging the Social Democratic coalition partners as "the son of an immigrant from the pink party called" "missing roots" with. Ligi, who apologized for his misstep, is returning to parliament as a member of parliament .

From April 9, 2015 to September 12, 2016, Ligi was Minister for Education and Science in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas. After the resignation of Foreign Minister Marina Kaljurand , Ligi became Estonian Foreign Minister. He held the post until the end of the government on November 23, 2016. He then returned as a member of the Estonian Parliament.

Private life

Jürgen Ligi is a grandson of the well-known Estonian archaeologist Harri Moora and his wife Aliise. He is married and has two sons. His sister is the poet Katre Ligi .

Web links

Commons : Jürgen Ligi  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Short biography (Estonian Parliament)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Jürgen Ligi: vaba saadikuna, kes ei ole Leidnud endale sobivat fraktsiooni, võin küsida mida iganes , online report at http://www.delfi.ee from November 4, 2014, accessed on November 25, 2016 (Estonian)
2. ↑ Online article about his grandparents (January 8, 2011), accessed January 25, 2018 (Estonian)