Dailies Eesti Päevaleht and Delfi have chosen recently re-elected Mayor of Tallinn Mihhail Kõlvart (Center) as Estonia’s most influential person for 2021.
The list (link in Estonian) is made up of 100 people, with the podium made up of Kõlvart, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) and Minister of Health and Labor Tanel Kiik (Center).
The top three are followed by Conservative People’s Party of Estonia (EKRE) chairman Martin Helme, Center Party chairman and Riigikogu speaker Jüri Ratas, Minister of Education and Research Liina Kersna (Reform), virologist and government scientific council head Irja Lutsar, Wise founders and business partners Taavet Hinrikus and Kristo Käärmann (as duo – ed), previous president Kersti Kaljulaid and Isamaa Party chair Helir-Valdor Seeder.
Delfi and Eesti Päevaleht editor-in-chief said on Vikerraadio’s morning show “Vikerhommik” that the year saw two elections and the coronavirus crisis, which is why the list is mainly made up of politicians. “The government’s role this year has been big in our actions and what we are allowed to do,” Soonvald said.
He noted that education minister Liina Kersna (7th) would likely not be ranked as high if not for the coronavirus.
The publications define influence as the ability to achieve desired results, as well as changing and forming significant processes, actions and attitudes.
This is the seventh list Ekspress Media publications have drawn up. Social scientist and veteran politician Marju Lauristin was ranked first in 2015, then-president Kersti Kaljulaid was first in 2016, Center chairman and former prime minister Jüri Ratas was ranked first in 2017 and 2018, influential businessman and owner of the Postimees Group Margus Linnamäe was first in 2019, EKRE chair and former finance minister Martin Helme was ranked first in 2020.
EPL and Delfi are both part of the Ekspress Meedia group, which also publishes weeklies Eesti Ekspress and Maaleht, and various magazines.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.