Juhan Parts

Juhan Parts (born 27 August 1966) is a former Prime Minister of Estonia, and Chairman of the Res Publica party.

Biography

Juhan Parts completed Gustavus Adolphus Grammar School in Tallinn (then Tallinn Secondary School No. 1). Afterwards, he studied law at the University of Tartu in Tartu, Estonia.

Related Topics:
Gustavus Adolphus - University of Tartu - Tartu - Estonia

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After completing his university education, he instantly joined the Ministry of Justice. He soon became known as a young, dynamic figure who wanted to push for reforms. Being an ally of Deputy Minister Mihkel Oviir, he was appointed Auditor General in spring 1998. He held this office until 2002. From this virtually unimpeachable office, unique in the Estonian Constitution, he frequently criticised the government and became somewhat of a popular figure in Estonian politics.

Related Topics:
Mihkel Oviir - Auditor General - 1998 - 2002

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Parts became chairman of a new party called Res Publica which he was instrumental in starting, an ideology-free, largely technocratic party which can be described as a economically liberal party of mostly under-30 administrators. Res Publica now is a member of the right-of-centre European People's Party organisation.

Related Topics:
Res Publica - European People's Party

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In the Riigikogu (Estonian parliament) elections in 2003, Parts surprisingly gained a majority among the right-of-centre parties, and as a result, he was charged to form a new government coalition and became Prime Minister of Estonia. The new government took office on 10 April 2003.

Related Topics:
Riigikogu - 2003 - Prime Minister - 10 April

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On 24 March 2005, Parts stepped down as Prime Minister after a vote of no confidence against Minister of Justice Ken-Marti Vaher had passed the Riigikogu. Vaher had established a quota system of how many civil servants had to be prosecuted every year (per county), which is seen as reminiscent of Stalinist purges by many Estonians, a measure that Parts had endorsed.

Related Topics:
24 March - 2005 - Ken-Marti Vaher - Stalinist

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Parts' term as Prime Minister officially ended on 12 April 2005 when the Riigikogu confirmed his successor Andrus Ansip.

Related Topics:
12 April - 2005 - Andrus Ansip

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