Lauri Läänemets (born 31 January 1983) is an Estonian politician. He is currently Minister of Interior Affairs and was a member of XIV Riigikogu.[1]

Lauri Läänemets
Läänemets in 2022
Minister of the Interior
Assumed office
18 July 2022
Prime MinisterKaja Kallas
Kristen Michal
Preceded byKalle Laanet (acting)
Leader of the Estonian Social Democratic Party
Assumed office
5 February 2022
Preceded byIndrek Saar
Member of the Riigikogu
Assumed office
13 June 2019
Personal details
Born (1983-01-31) 31 January 1983 (age 41)
Tallinn, Estonia
Political partyEstonian Social Democratic Party
Children1

In 2007 he graduated from Tallinn University in recreation management.[1]

From 2013 to 2017 he was mayor of the Väätsa Rural Municipality.[1]

Since 2010, he has been a member of the Estonian Social Democratic Party.[1]

Lauri Läänemets was elected chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDE) on 5 February 2022 by party members at the General Assembly.[2]

In December 2023, Läänemets's car windows were smashed. Authorities later announced that the suspects were part of a coordinated “hybrid operation” by Russian intelligence to conduct sabotage and destabilization against the Estonian state.[3]

In March 2024, Läänemets was placed on a wanted list by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs under "article of the criminal code".[4] Russian law enforcement agencies later clarified Läänemets was placed on the wanted list due to destruction of Soviet monuments.[5] A similar criminal charge was placed on Kaja Kallas, the Prime Minister of Estonia.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "101_biographies_2019" (PDF). riigikogu.ee. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  2. ^ "Gallery: SDE elects new chairman". ERR. 5 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Estonia detains 10 people suspected of committing sabotage on orders from Russia". Associated Press. 20 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Russia also declares Estonia's Interior Minister Lauri Läänemets wanted". ERR. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Russian Internal Ministry puts Estonian Interior Minister on wanted list". www.azerbaycan24.com. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  6. ^ "Russia puts the leader of NATO member Estonia on a wanted list over the removal of Soviet-era monuments". AP News. 13 February 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
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