Mart Laar, born in 1960 in Viljandi, reshaped the Estonian economic landscape through radical reforms during his initial term as Prime Minister from 1992 to 1994. A historian by training and a politician by practice, he implemented flat tax systems and extensive privatization, positioning the nation toward rapid development and integration into European institutional frameworks throughout the 1990s.
Early Career and Historical Scholarship
Laar graduated from the University of Tartu in 1983, later completing his doctorate in history in 2005. Before entering national politics, he taught in Tallinn and chaired the Council of Historians of the Foundation of the Estonia Inheritance. His scholarly focus centered on Soviet-era history, specifically the Forest Brothers resistance movement, detailed in his work War in the Woods: Estonia's Struggle for Survival, 1944–1956.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Prime Ministerial Terms
Following his 1992 election by the Riigikogu, Laar's government dismantled state-run economic structures, abolished tariffs, and balanced the national budget. Despite leaving office in 1994 following a no-confidence vote sparked by scandals involving an arms deal and the sale of rubles to the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria, he returned to the premiership in 1999. His second tenure, lasting until 2002, focused on economic recovery and European Union accession.
Defense and Ministerial Roles
In 2011, Laar joined the cabinet of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip as Minister of Defence. His tenure concluded in May 2012 following his resignation due to health complications stemming from a stroke suffered in February of that year. Later, in 2013, he began serving as the chairman of the supervisory board for the Bank of Estonia, having previously served as a Member of the European Parliament between 2003 and 2004.
Awards and International Recognition
Laar received the Cato Institute's Milton Friedman Prize for Advancing Liberty in 2006 for his efforts in promoting market reforms. His other honors include the Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, the Order of the White Rose of Finland, and the Petőfi Prize from the House of Terror Museum in Hungary.
Fast facts
- Born: 1960, Viljandi
- Prime Minister of Estonia: 1992-1994, 1999-2002
- Education: University of Tartu
- Minister of Defence: 2011-2012
- Milton Friedman Prize recipient: 2006
- Citizenship: Estonia
Questions readers ask
What were the primary economic reforms implemented by Mart Laar?
He introduced a flat tax, privatized national industry through public tenders, abolished tariffs and subsidies, and balanced the national budget.
Why did Laar resign as Minister of Defence in 2012?
He resigned due to health reasons after suffering a stroke in February 2012.
Achievements
- Minister of Defence (2011–2012)
- Member of the European Parliament (2003–2004)
- member of the Riigikogu
- Prime Minister of Estonia (1992–1994)
- Order of the White Rose of Finland
- Great Cross with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Henrik Visnapuu Literature Prize — 1997
- Educated at University of Tartu