Tallinn, 22 January 2002 (RFE/RL) -- The Estonian parliament today elected Siim Kallas to be the country's new prime minister. The 101-seat chamber voted 62-31 and gave a mandate to the Reform Party leader to form a new cabinet. Kallas has one week to present his cabinet to President Arnold Ruutel, who under the constitution has the power to appoint ministers to their offices.
The free-market Reform Party and the more socially oriented Centrist Party have formed a government coalition in which the Center Party will have eight ministers and the Reform Party five.
Kallas replaces Mart Laar, who resigned on 8 January over infighting sparked by the Reform Party in his center-right government coalition. Until the new cabinet gets final approval, a caretaker administration headed by Laar remains in place.
Kallas has two weeks to win a final parliamentary approval before he can take power. Addressing legislators before the vote, the 53-year-old said European integration will be his top priority.
The free-market Reform Party and the more socially oriented Centrist Party have formed a government coalition in which the Center Party will have eight ministers and the Reform Party five.
Kallas replaces Mart Laar, who resigned on 8 January over infighting sparked by the Reform Party in his center-right government coalition. Until the new cabinet gets final approval, a caretaker administration headed by Laar remains in place.
Kallas has two weeks to win a final parliamentary approval before he can take power. Addressing legislators before the vote, the 53-year-old said European integration will be his top priority.